50+ Lifestyles

Max’s Musings

By Max Molleston

Which is stronger, a blizzard Winter, or a robust Spring? As a broadcaster, I remained alert to daily conditions, in all seasons. Reports of what conditions might mean to exposed livestock, and in Spring, to planting the crops and the “growing season” follow-up. From Germany, it’s called a folk poem.

Spring’s Arrival

All the birds have come again,
Hear the happy chorus!
Robin, Bluebirds on the wing,
Thrush and wren this message bring,
Spring will soon come in,
Come with joyous singing.

Folk poems and songs usually offer no author, they just appear and hang around, for a period of time. Next, we offer a cute poem from a Belgium poet, Guido Gezelle, through translator Jethro Bithell.

To The Sun From a Flower

O Sun, when I stand in my green leaves,
With my petals full of dew
And you fare forth in your splendor,
My blossoming heart looks to you.
When on the red dawn throning,
The world at your feet you view,
Forget not the little flower
That waits and watches for you.

There are two cute poems selected for youngsters to read, collected and published over a half-century in our past. Robert Frost is famous for the poem “Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening,” which would qualify for the winter shades in a column on the strengths of Winter and Spring. You have your own experiences and ideas, I am sure. Let’s close with this cute, short poem of his.

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice. From what I have tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great and would suffice.

By this time in our Spring, you should be as deep in floral displays as you wish. If you are able, get out and walk in a park that offers some wild blooms, coming from the strong desire dominating the plant world. We can all think of our experiences as we tried to dominate some of the less desirable plant life, and end up with a spray that silenced the bouquet it had planned for our eyes and noses.