Friday, February 12, 2010

Poetry Friday: The Impossibility of February

First, a reminder for all fans of great children's poetry:

The winner of the Cybils Poetry category is announced this Sunday, February 14. I was honored to be a second round judge, and I can promise that you will love the winner (and all the finalists, too.)

Now, on to the Poetry Friday challenge for today. Last year, around Valentine's Day, Tricia prodded us to write a love poem without using "love" words.  I took the bait.

This year, I had to make up my own challenge. An ode to February.

I know; I know. February is impossible.



Oh, February, oh February!

You make my heart sing, you do,
were it not for blinding blizzards and the swiniest of flu.

Oh, February, far too short the days
to count the shades of grayest grays

you send me, year after weary year.
If I were you, I'd watch my back, dear;

such nuanced love cannot last
before I exchange you for something less overcast.

Oh, February, love is patient, love is kind;
love doesn't leave you disinclined

to climb from underneath the warmest covers
to join the bitterest, iciest, and brutalist of lovers

on the barren street, no less! to watch how much snow
you can blow and blow and blow---some beau

you are. But how can I call it quits
when you bite my cheeks and grab my wrists

kissing color into my frozen face---
Oh, February, let's March on apace!

               ---Sara Lewis Holmes

Sickened by that sappy stuff? Then head over to The Pursuit of Happiness blog and snuggle up to Maira Kalman's poem in words and pictures, The Impossibility of February.

The Poetry Friday roundup today is hosted by the ever warm and friendly Lee Wind at http://www.leewind.org/2010/02/poetry-friday-valentines-edition-is.html

10 comments:

  1. Oh Sara, I just love that. "If I were you, I'd watch my back, dear." So true. And what great closing stanzas...

    Thanks for the Cybils reminder. It's always fun to read the winners.

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  2. I love the poem! And RIF looks forward to welcoming you on Monday the 22nd! (Maybe I will get to see you the 21st at Book Club as well?)

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  3. Yes, you nailed it! At least you were able to fashion a meaningful ode from all your February-ish feelings. So much better than what I've been saying: "Arrrgghhhh!"

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  4. Love this, Sara. Thanks for cheering up a Friday that feels like a Monday!

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  5. Thanks for making me laugh in the midst of dreary weather.
    Winged Writer

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  6. Love your poem. That's February. Some of the biggest snowstorms I can recall in the area where I live came in the second month of the year--including the great blizzard of 1978.

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  7. "Some beau/you are" indeed.

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  8. Oh, I am SO not sickened by the sappy stuff.

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  9. The shades of grey. That pretty much sums it up, I think!

    March on!!!

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  10. What fun, Sara! Maybe next year you could add a verse, perhaps something that rhymes with tonsilitus.

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