FEBRUARY

The light is lengthening.
There is that feeling in the air
we New Englanders feel
when the sunlight and climbing temperatures show up
like a bouquet of flowers on a random day that isn’t your birthday.
There is a brightness to those days,
a gift in the the throes of a New England winter.
Tastes of what is to come —
the smell of burgers cooking on a grill
calling me to day drink
or to get an iced coffee.
Convertible tops down with heat blasting, the roads jam packed with cars out for their weekend drives.
People out and about coming from their winter hibernation —
smiling, happy joy filled people.
Men walking around in shorts
and flip flops,
bike riding in February.
The smell of a less cold wind
on my skin and blowing through my hair.
That delicious air that offers a tease towards our future life.
Hearing sounds of cardinals and seeing blue jays showing off
as they fly around my yard.
They feel it too.
There is the teasing feeling of a changing season
on its way, but out of reach for now.
I want to plant seeds in my garden
Hell- I want to start turning soil over
in my raised beds.
that are my weekend temptresses
calling me with desire for action.
Is that a sprout I see
or is it just a longing to move February along?
Until I wake up from my dream of yesterday.
Did I really go for that bike ride
and look longingly at my compost heap?
Was it really me thinking about washing my windows
to get rid of the salty winter?
Did I really walk outside without a coat to that art exhibit?
What is that sound I hear when I wake up today?
Oh that’s right- it is just February laughing.