Monday, February 23, 2009

Waiting (Impatiently)



The trees look swollen at the tips. Some have tiny budlets, others are shooting delicate little hairy things from the ends of their branches. Snowdrops are up (no snow for them to bloom into, oh well) and other bulb flowers have begun to send their sturdy leaves upwards. Spring is almost here.

It's the almost part that's difficult. I see the tiny buds and expect warmth, soft air. Flowers, laughter, people outside hanging on the front porches. But the harsh truth is, it's still February. No matter how ready the trees look, spring is not yet here. The reality of the calendar doesn't stop my heart from wanting spring, though, and wanting it bad.

"Almost spring" is, for me, the season of Rumi, of Mirabai, Surdas, all those poets who knew how to capture the emotion of yearning in words. Their poems always blow me away. Though rigorous, I believe yearning is actually good for we humans. It stretches the heart, teaches us emotional intelligence ... or kills us, depending on how we manage it.

SOME KISS WE WANT

There is some kiss we want with
our whole lives, the touch of

spirit on the body. Seawater
begs the pearl to break its shell.

And the lily, how passionately
it needs some wild darling! At

night, I open the window and ask
the moon to come and press its

face against mine. Breathe into
me. Close the language- door and

open the love window. The moon
won't use the door, only the window.

--Mowlana Jalaluddin Rumi


25 comments:

Just me said...

Oh, me too!!! We just went away for a week to The Sunshine State, and coming home I'm SO ready for spring here!!! I'm a bit further north than you, so I figure I need to stick it out until early April. I'll have to plan some stuff to keep me going for the next six weeks!

Just me said...

Oh, BTW- we went to the zoo and I ALMOST got a great reflection shot of a flamingo- just the pink in the water, but the bird itself is hidden. I thought of you as I was taking it, but then he moved and I missed it.

uought2b.a.dog said...

We agree with you 100%, Reya! We are more than ready for spring!

Joanne said...

I just looked at the branches this weekend here in New England, out for a walk, hoping to see that swelling, or buds, some sign. Not yet, I'm afraid, we're too far north. Sigh.

Deborah said...

Beautiful

As was the acceptance last night, part of which was, ". . . all my life I've had the choice, to hate or to love, I chose love, and here I am."

Love to you impatient artist.

mouse (aka kimy) said...

almost.....spring....two words that do not come together even in late february where I live....

you know what they say patience is a virtue....oh yeah....

but I am happy to report that even though it is currently a 19 degrees F outside right now the sky is blue and it's sunny..... now that is something!

tut-tut said...

I need to read more Rumi.Thank you for that!

Amy said...

The trees are beginning to bud here in AZ. It's the only sign of Spring you can see here.

My seasons are changing vicariously through you this year!

Eddy said...

Thanks for including the gorgeous poem! A Rumi quote for you, because you are such a keen observer of reflections:
“Who could be so lucky? Who comes to a lake for water and sees the reflection of moon.”

e said...

This Rumi is lovely, thanks. I too tried a reflection shot this weekend, but stepped a bit too far backward and, well, ended up on my keister. Unlike the Flamingo photographer, I was more concerned about dropping the camera (sigh)...

arya said...

Yesterday it was the huge energy drain and brain drain which left me bed ridden, I couldn’t see properly or speak properly or think properly. A friend came we stayed together for a while but that did not help at all as he left I hid my face beneath and pillow and was fast asleep with heavy head. It is the end of relationship with him that is giving me so much of nuisance suffering.
After one and half hour my eyes opened for brief seconds oh the breeze was touching my forehead softly, and I knew its spring.
My heart swelled with bliss.
Truly it’s spring.
The wind blows high swirling the dust.
i look out of window and things seem as dried up as my throat, it's the spring.

CocoDivaDog said...

Jeeze,
It's freezing and very windy up here in NYC.
At least we have the sun for today.

goatman said...

Thanks for the Rumi poem, it brightened my day!
I am always taken by how contemporary his words seem after, what, 4 centuries?
I guess it is that good expression is timeless.

Tom said...

Spring! i have bought my suger-snap-pea seed packet and am now looking for blackberry plants...it will be 45 on Wednesday! So close yet so far away...

Mrsupole said...

We pretty much do not get seasons the way that you do. Today is 72 and would seem like spring, but in a few days it can go down to the 50's. Which probably would be a hot day to most, but for us that is cold. I guess it just depends what you are used to. We had been hoping for rain last night and we just got a few sprinkles.

We are hoping something changes and that more rain comes to help end this drought. The mountains have snow, but not enough. Wishful thinking I guess.

Would love to have the seasons more defined, but I guess that is how it is here in So.CA. My poinsettia plant has new buds growing on it, so that is close to how spring feels. It would be nice to have it live a whole year this time.

Great poem. The moon uses the window. Loved it.

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Hilarywho said...

Love the poem - thanks for sharing. Spring still seems a long way off here in Michigan - I'll be glad just for some days above freezing!

Sandra Leigh said...

Thank you for your own beautiful description of almost spring, and for the poem, Reya Seawater begs the pearl to break its shell - fabulous. Congratulations on your well-deserved award.

Evening Light Writer said...

I used to have a really hard time with waiting, I guess you could say I was impatient. I realized that waiting didn't mean putting my life on hold. There is such a beauty in waiting, that delayed gratification seems sweeter. I saw a yellowbell bush with just the tips of green and I am enjoying every second of the juicey green buds.

Tess Kincaid said...

The love window. I like that.

Val said...

i love that poem - beautiful! ah waiting for spring already gives you hope when winter feels too long.
i have really enjoyed your last posts too - enjoying mulling them over in my mind. x

Ronda Laveen said...

What are snowdrops? Not well known in No Cali. Someday a picture maybe? It would make me happy. Evening Light wrote of yellowbell bush. Also, not something I am familiar with. We are getting torential rains just south of the Oregon border. No complaining here. We have been in a drought pattern and our lakes need water and our mountains need snow. In Jan we had spring and now in Feb and Mar we are having winter.

SENSUOUS poem!

Unknown said...

can we ever have enough Rumi ?

Reya Mellicker said...

Lisa? Never!

Lynne said...

Your spring is way more advanced than ours if the buds are swollen. Ours are still firm and hard. Cold wind the past few days but today is finally above freezing and no wind! C'mon spring!