First Call of Spring

I wrote this one a number of years ago. And even though we haven't experienced temps much above freezing lately, there have been some robins feeling it too, and calling in song.

First Call of Spring

First call of spring
From dense boughs of fir
And bare-twigged lilac
Robin and friends
Call the bulbs still deep beneath
The snow bank, white and gray.
How many inches will melt today?

First call of spring
And the crocus
Gathers its pull of moons and suns
To lead hyacinths
Ahead of other banners
Of March through May.
Colors from black earth
When the thaw turns it green.

Before the light dawned this morning—
The first call of spring—
The robin, snow crocus,
Black earth turning green.

—3/3/01