“Come outside and play,” smiled the sun, on Spring’s first day,

“Can’t you see the bright, blue sky? It looks so warm! There are no clouds!”

And the sun spun ’round and ’round while flaxen sun-beamed ribbons twirled through the air —

The flower nodded and stepped into the light…

 

Oh, it was cold! The petals wrapped themselves around her shoulders as she looked up into the bright, blue sky…

Spring was playing with her, spring could not be here!

But the sun assured the flower that warmer days would come:

“It’s the way of Spring! Just look at the brook! The ice has melted! The brook is calling!”

 

And the flower, with her petals tight, tried to loosen them a little as she stepped

Into the brook, the brook inviting, for the ice had melted…it was Spring (she reminded herself once again)

And in Spring, things are warmer, because the sun promised!

 

She stood with her stem in the brook and the petals, tight around her

She thought the sun smiled an encouraging smile

 

“Surely it will be warmer tomorrow,” promised the sun, still as bright

(He saw her face, and must have felt a twinge of self-reproach)

“Today was only part-spring, and tomorrow is the first, full day!”

 

The flower nodded in agreement, as she stepped from the ice-cold water

She thought about his words, and she looked into the clear, free sky:

 

“So are you sure Spring will be warmer tomorrow, because it’s the First Full Day?”

And the sun danced and said Yes, and for a moment the world pulsed warm

 

The flower shook her petals, deep in thought (and paused)

Then asked:

“Is it always warmer in the Spring? In two weeks, will it be even warmer?”

 

“Of course,” assured the sun.

“I promise.”

 

…and so the flower waited for the sun’s promise

One day, two days, then three and four

And finally, on the fourteenth day of Spring

The air was warm

Just like the sun had promised

 

But the flower took her petals and wrapped them about her shoulders

Even though there were no clouds

And the sky was crisp and blue

Even though the water had been warmed by the sun all day

She couldn’t bring herself to touch the water

 

She looked thoughtfully at the day ahead

And at the sun, dancing in the distance

 

“It’s the way of Spring! Just look at the brook! The ice has melted! The brook is calling!”

(Laughed the sun)

But the flower was bewildered

And realized that nothing is quite as it seems:

Petals become cloaks

And the sun offers too many truths

 

“I will get my hat,” said the flower to the sun

“Because of the storm that is sure to come our way.”

And the sun laughed but the flower kept her stand

Because she finally knew

Spring’s Farce