Outside the walls of my house
the air is heavy and sweeter
that the strawberries the tiny white flowers promise;
opening just this morning
& already the bees were drunk
all day on nectar
an hour past sunset and the night music
in our valley is now a murmur
which will crescendo after midnight;
an orchestra that has no need of practice,
or tuning, or precise seating–
perfect in its exuberance,
the performance stops just before dawn
when the birds pick up the refrain
and lure the sun into rising.
Inside, two children
still smelling of sunlight & crushed grass
are a chorus of shouting
that rivals the noise of the peepers outside–
joy leaps from soprano throats
as they flash through the rooms
like lightning streaks,
& I, mother that I am, call after them,
“not so fast!”
but all I have really done
is add to the noise.
So much energy inside,
so much ardor outside;
when I open a window,
I don’t know if I am letting in freshness
or spilling it over the sill.
Susan Daniels Poetry 
Love this one. Such a picture you paint. Makes me miss my boys. Too bad they have to grow up!
Thank you, Rhonda–this was a lot of fun to write (although I had to send the noisy ones to another part of the house to write it–could barely hear myself think!
Figures…they don’t appreciate all the work you do on their behalf (at least not until they are older and need you to do their laundry on demand or give them gas money or something). LOL
I have to give my daughter book money–she is as avid a reader as her grandmother and mother!
That’s awesome. I was like that as a girl. My brothers…not so much. Must be a girl thing!
I think it is 🙂
But, there are men out there who devour books too (I just happened to choose 2 men that prefer to read music to books, so glad she took after me 🙂 )
It’s true. My husband is such a guy. Always has a book or two going. My sons would rather listen to music than read it. They don’t know what they are missing…wouldn’t trade being a book lover for anything. It’s an escape!
It is–travelling the world without a passport…
This is a lovely poem, Susan! You capture the charm and energy of spring so beautifully! Amazing how you manage to appeal to almost all our senses in this poem!
the air is heavy and sweeter
that the strawberries the tiny white flowers promise;
Inside, two children
still smelling of sunlight & crushed grass
see how you weave and interlace the senses in these verses – beautiful and stunning
and then, this one –
when the birds pick up the refrain
and lure the sun into rising.
simply, wow! Great stuff Susan
Thank you, Noel… I loved the experience that triggered the poem so much, am glad it translated well on the page…
The night signing in this poem is a pale echo of the night singing in our poem 🙂
still smelling of sunlight & crushed grass…. and the last line too! you have a great way of painting a picture with your words.. thanks for the smile
Thanks so much for the comment…
It sounds like a wonderful life to me.
busy–and wonderful!
Your words really engage the brain; I find it hard to pull away. Great imagery, word choice, and flow. I really like your style!
Thank you–that’s mutual–glad I followed your comment to your blog!
The last stanza is especially lovely because of the openness that is there to the world. I really like that,
Thank you Jeremy–glad the open exchange of energy worked 🙂
It certainly did.
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