Spring Thaw

A bare gossipy whisper
between winter and spring
sees the forest floor surrender
its deep frost to a thaw that
has wild honeysuckle throb
with tender green and catkins 
dangle from towering poplars.
Dainty raspberry-pink flowers
cap hazelnut tips and
bright red clusters festoon maples.
Squirrels, in a tizzy of liberation
from winter survival chase
flicking tails as the
sweet, high-noted trill of a
cardinal soars the landscape.
The sun shoots arrows of light
from the clear sky to the tangle
of woods below, revealing
green spears of trout lilies
piercing the dessicated leaves
of last fall enriching the loam of
another year's growing season.