oh, emily...

the last few days an early spring has settled over this fair state of iowa. there is now no snow on the lawns, scads of blue sky, and the faintest of breezes. across from me on a playground are birds. what sort of winter is this? but it somehow reminded me of this emily dickinson poem. which is beautiful. so is this painting by guo xi, "early spring."

These are the days when Birds come back --
A very few -- a Bird or two --
To take a backward look.

These are the days when skies resume
The old -- old sophistries of June --
A blue and gold mistake.

Oh fraud that cannot cheat the Bee --
Almost thy plausibility
Induces my belief.

Till ranks of seeds their witness bear --
And softly thro' the altered air
Hurries a timid leaf.

Oh Sacrament of summer days,
Oh Last Communion in the Haze --
Permit a child to join.

Thy sacred emblems to partake --
They consecrated bread to take
And thine immortal wine!