upon hard earth rests dew
and newness
a sign from frozen winter that life will grow again
rich rains
which will ripen fruit and flowers
nourish all that was cold and dry and sleeping
for
so
long

with the start of spring
we
b e g i n
a g a i n
we blossom
(sprouting freckles on warm skin)
we flourish
(walking barefoot amongst blossoms)
we shed
(our layered skin and sweaters: striped down, scrubbed off)
we
renew.

- Alex Duncan

image: Brittney Gill