promise of march

the southern aspect of a season's tale
when clouds have parted and the days advance
with kinder sunlight into springs expanse
just at the point where hearts might seek to fail
is our new vantage right here we inhale
both air and sound the enemies of chance
encourage hearts to feel the hope of dance
and with a new enlightenment to sail
good airs inspire the lungs and cause the feet
to find their rhythm with the season’s change
in a new blend that came from over sea
a deeper wiser measure of the street
bringing homeward what was once so strange
to make us in the end a bit more free

looking another way

dull red and heavy is the morning sky

the storm is coming so we are afraid

while time is wasting yet to make the grade

the air's unmoving birds refuse to fly

there is no hope that the great storm's delayed

dull red and heavy is the morning sky

no better world is showing to the eye

what's been released we hope will not degrade

beneath the coming rain yet we're dismayed

dull red and heavy is the morning sky

lacking all ease

we're faced with everything but honest grief

hard lies are shouted in the open street

and pleasant words recited in retreat

by both the kind physician and the thief

until we think the harsh venom is sweet

we're faced with everything but honest grief

so we resile still there's no real relief

for either broken hearts or weary feet

since life itself turns out to be a cheat

we're faced with everything but honest grief

where we have been

where we have been both sombre and perplexed

relieved in winter by the thoughts of light

in coming seasons knowing that the bright

hours that have passed will leave me no less vexed

than heavy cloud in this wintry context

of damp and rain and days that fade to night

with little notice nothing it seems is right

as we engage to find out what comes next

this is the law by which our lives are bound

in lands both narrow and unseemly wide

to face the future with unsteady arms

in fainting hope of finding safer ground

not certain that there is a winning side

and listening for the end of all alarms