Wednesday 16 March 2011

March blossoms and birdsong...






I've just been out in the garden, admiring the new petals and primroses, hoping the magnolia buds will survive the cold nights, and looking forward to the blooming of my favourite scented clematis. The evergreen clematis was one of the first plants that I put in the garden when we moved here, nearly eight years ago, when the borders were still very bare, and I'm so glad it's thriving.
A blackbird is singing from atop a chimney pot, and there's a small chorus of song-thrushes, too... I wish you could hear them right now...
But here is Emily Dickinson to read instead:

DEAR March, come in!
How glad I am!
I looked for you before.
Put down your hat—
You must have walked—
How out of breath you are!
Dear March, how are you?
And the rest?
Did you leave Nature well?
Oh, March, come right upstairs with me,
I have so much to tell!

I got your letter, and the bird’s;
The maples never knew
That you were coming,—I declare,
How red their faces grew!
But, March, forgive me—
And all those hills
You left for me to hue;
There was no purple suitable,
You took it all with you.

Who knocks? That April!
Lock the door!
I will not be pursued!
He stayed away a year, to call
When I am occupied.
But trifles look so trivial
As soon as you have come,
That blame is just as dear as praise
And praise as mere as blame.

14 comments:

kairu said...

Lovely poem and photographs! Here it has been raining, but even when the skies are gray the plum trees have blossomed into a soft pink mist, the daffodils are clustered cheerfully along sidewalks, and today the rain has stopped and the sun is out, if only for a moment...

Justine Picardie said...

Grey skies here today, too, but the blossom is out on the trees...

enid said...

There is nothing as wonderful as plants that grow and bloom in your own garden. Have you read Elizabeth and her Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim ? I loved it long ago when I read it, maybe it's time to reread it.

Lilacs said...

I have never read that poem Justine, thank you for the introduction. I love seeing the blossom appearing in the hedgerows.

Anonymous said...

I love the image of a blackbird singing from the chimney top. We have had currawongs with their melodic voices in the backyard and near my writing shed. In Sydney we are crossing over to mellow, cooler weather which is a blessed relief after the humidity and heat-wave of January. The poem is wonderful. I always enjoy popping over here for stimulating distraction and also reading the comments which are so interesting. Happy March to you and may this season of the Equinox restore balance and help you to sweep away all the obstacles in your life. xx

Karen, Surrey said...

Those magnolia buds are putting mine to shame. They look fantastic. At the moment I am excited by some delphinium seeds I collected last year and have sown. They have sprouted beautifully on my kitchen window. March is so full of promise.

Justine Picardie said...

Thanks to everyone for your lovely messages from around the world. I haven't read the book that Enid mentioned, but I'm going to look it up now. I feel inspired by Karen's delphinium seedlings -- do you think it's too late to plant some now?

lelonnie_taylor said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
lelonnie_taylor said...

My name is Lelonnie, and I'd first like to say that I love your column, The Closet Thinker and I just ordered your memoir on Monday. I'm doing a report on you for my AP English class and I was wondering if you would be able to answer a few questions. I can be reached via email at lelonnie_taylor@yahoo.com Thank you, your time would be greatly appreciated.

Knitting Out Loud said...

What a puzzle Emily Dickinson always is. I'm looking forward to reading Lives Like Loaded Guns: Emily Dickinson and Her Family's Feuds. I am also a fan of Elizabeth and Her German Garden. The snow is almost gone here in Maine and the snowdrops and witch hazel are blooming. Thank you for the very cheering photographs, Justine!

Justine Picardie said...

You're right, she is such a puzzle -- impossible to solve, yet always intriguing...

c.aulas said...

C'est avec émotion que j'ai lu, par hasard, un passage de 'My Mother's Wedding Dress' Ma grand-mère Ada Cicély GARNETT était la sœur aînée de Frederick Youg GARNETT le père de FRED nous sommes donc cousin.
J'ai aussi apprécié vos photos et votre récit sur la nature qui s'éveille d'un long hiver.
Chez moi le ciel est bleu, un petit vent souffle dans la pinède, les mouettes cris sur la mer et c'est les amandiers et le romarin qui sont en fleur.
Ce qui me rappelle quelques vers du poème "Premier sourire du printemps" de Théophile GAUTIER .

Tandis qu'à leurs œuvres perverses
Les hommes courent haletants,
Mars qui rit, malgré les averses,
Prépare en secret le printemps.

Pour les petites pâquerettes,
Sournoisement lorsque tout dort,
Il repasse des collerettes
Et cisèle des boutons d'or.

c.aulas said...

C'est avec émotion que j'ai lu, par hasard, un passage de 'My Mother's Wedding Dress' Ma grand-mère Ada Cicély GARNETT était la sœur aînée de Frederick Youg GARNETT le père de FRED nous sommes donc cousin.
J'ai aussi apprécié vos photos et votre récit sur la nature qui s'éveille d'un long hiver.
Chez moi le ciel est bleu, un petit vent souffle dans la pinède, les mouettes cris sur la mer et c'est les amandiers et le romarin qui sont en fleur.
Ce qui me rappelle quelques vers du poème "Premier sourire du printemps" de Théophile GAUTIER .

Tandis qu'à leurs œuvres perverses
Les hommes courent haletants,
Mars qui rit, malgré les averses,
Prépare en secret le printemps.

Pour les petites pâquerettes,
Sournoisement lorsque tout dort,
Il repasse des collerettes
Et cisèle des boutons d'or.

Anonymous said...

I really like to work in my beautiful garden, I love to collect my petals and primroses , when my wife goes to her job in best pharmacy, I go to make the garden before go to my job