Harbinger

Made it through Winter’s darkest hour.  

Pushed through the leaves,

now defiant with flower.  

One tiny bunch,

waving wild in a clearing.  

No home-site hunch,

to explain their appearing.  

Deposited maybe

by hundred year year flood.  

Snatched off the ridge top,

dropped plop in the mud.  

Chiffon interruption

in the colorfew scheme. 

Bright alarm wakes all

from crushed-down brown dreams. 

Phone-like bell

pricks our malaise.  

Harbinger swings, 

brings warm yellow days.  

Calls back the robin, 

the fickle whippoorwill.

Returning loyally,

a butter-stained doily,

our undying dear daffodil.  

Words by Mar Startari-Stegall copyright 1997
Photograph by Mar Startari, 2018

Previous
Previous

The Quickening

Next
Next

Pokemon for Pittsburgh