'Complaint in A Wash-out Season'
My mind's in pickle. Think of my talents all soused
in rainwater, April you All Fool's Month, you've doused
the light of your joke. Call of this protracted
intransigent deluge,it's hackneyed;
nothing to grizzle about now-winter's gone knock-kneed,
so turn off the tap,
you monstrous infant wetting Infinity's lap.
You turned the garden hose on;
you spat a million missiles through a hundred dozen
long-range peashooters. You should be past
practical jokes in bad taste;
and what an old has-been you look when you flash
in the face of the sun in a shot-silk taffeta sash
and lift the petticoat clouds and dance a fandango.
You've rinsed the guaranteed colours out of the rainbow.
At least when you wash your dye-streaked hair,
be so kind as to shake it out elsewhere,
and request the adenoidal firmament
not to sneeze all over my temperament.
~ Dame Muriel Spark,1918 -2006.
This is my April post for Garden Bloggers' Muse Day hosted by Carolyn Gail - you will find lots more poems and musings on April over at her blog Sweet Home and Garden Chicago.
Love the poem... sometimes I wonder whether I have pickles IN my brain! :)
ReplyDeleteThe poet must never have suffered through a drought. Even after the last 2 years of deluges, I still won't complain about rain. I merely mutter quietly under my breath.
ReplyDeleteAnna:
ReplyDeleteA wonderful post, and a refreshing re-introduction to Muriel Spark.... read her rather extensively in a University English course..... wonderful wry sense of humour! Happy April!
Fickle April ... be it rain or snow. Enjoyable GBMD post, Anna. Happy April gardening :)
ReplyDeleteAnna,
ReplyDeleteWhat a pistol Muriel Spark was. I remember studying her Prime of Miss Jean Brodie so may years ago. I didn't know she wrote poetry as well. Excellent selection for this month and I love the primrose. Is that growing in your garden? Such a lovely color combination.
Ann
Anna, thank you for visiting my blog all the way from the United Kingdom...that was a thrill for me. I so enjoyed your Muse Day post and also the Richard LeGalliene verse on the sidebar.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful language. I can always count on Muriel Spark. Thanks for such an appropriate Muse Day post.
ReplyDeletehow wonderful to find your blog! thanks for visiting (and commenting ) mine!
ReplyDeleteSo winter's gone all 'knock kneed'
ReplyDeleteRob
What a brilliant poem! I just found your blog and have really enjoyed reading through some of your posts. Love your tapestry effect header!
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever poem--thanks for sharing this, Anna! I'm still not home, so I don't know if we've had this kind of rain. But there have been Aprils when I would have totally agreed with Muriel Spark. Here in Arizona it is so dry that yesterday's winds blew dust all across the highways; I'm sure they would welcome the "garden hose" being turned on:) Hope you are out enjoying your garden!
ReplyDeleteCute poem! I like your pic too. Flowers are so pretty - they always cheer me up.
ReplyDeleteI know that feeling Monica all too well :)
ReplyDeleteMMD - rain is welcome too in my books too preferably if it falls during the night.
Thanks Teza - I am glad that you enjoyed the poem.
April is indeed a fickle month Joey. My sister is an April bride and she had the works thrown in for her wedding day - rain, sleet, hail, wind, blue skies, sunshine and a rainbow too :)
The primrose is growing in my garden Anne and is looking a treat just now.
Hello and welcome - Donna, Common Weeder and Muum - lovely to see you here and thanks for your comments :)
I like the thought of winter going all 'knock kneed' Rob but think that it's wishful thinking :)
A hello and a welcome to you Phoenix. Thanks so much for your comments and compliments :)
We have had a lovely start to April Rose until today when April has turned the hose on. I have been able to do a fair bit of gardening. Hope that you are enjoying your break.
Thanks Wendy - flowers always have that lovely cheering effect don't they ?
Hi Anna, what a cool poem! Sorry I didn't get here right after GBMD, but better late than never, right? I hope by now your spring garden is showing some life and that you'll have a season full of lovely Blooms with lots of gorgeous Color and Intoxicating Scents;-) Jan
ReplyDeleteThanks Jan - lovely to hear from you at any time :)
ReplyDelete