The Supplication of Spring, a poem by Diane Lewis

The Supplication of Spring

by Diane Lewis

Let the grass grow;
the blades burst into kelly and emerald.

Let the crocuses pop;
while purple and white dart in all directions.

Let the dogwood and the cherry blossoms
erupt; behold their eternally flowered canopy.

Let the maples cast off their buds.

Let the thunderstorms rise out of nowhere;
the rain pummeling the ground.

Let tulips emerge resilient despite
winter frost and foraging animals.

See how quickly and efficiently the weeds rebel;
the hostas spike up from the ground.

Let the clematis sprawl upward
in search of something to cling to.

Let the wind begin after a good rain
necessary to bring forth the season.

Let the days be warm and the nights cool;
while sparrows feverishly scramble to build.

Without the cold, harsh clutches of an angry winter,
these triumphs of spring would never be.

From the poet: “My name is Diane L. Lewis and I am the Arts Council of Indianapolis’ 2010 Robert D. Beckmann Emerging Artist Fellow. The Beckmann Fellowship has provided me the opportunity to develop as a writer, with the goal of producing a full-length book of poetry. Most recently I have been able to publish my work in Tall Grass Writer’s Guild Anthology 2013 and 2014 (Outrider Press), Reckless Writing Poetry Anthology 2013 (Chatterhouse Press), and Contemporary American Voices (2015). 'Smoke Break' is the 2016 third place winner in the Eber & Wein Publishing National Amateur Poetry Competition.”

Editor's note: Diane Lewis died in 2016.