Henceforth: Spring,
that sweet green reward,
will be available
only to those who know
the raw humble cold
of wet overshoes
and have shoveled
bottomless snow from
sloping driveways,
or glided a car sideways into
the middle of a large silver bus
while steering meaninglessly
in the opposite direction.

Individuals who know
the search, the urgency
of a lost mitten
at the last minute
will be first in line.

Henceforth: Spring,
that sweet green reward,
will be available
only to those who know
the raw humble cold
of wet overshoes
and have shoveled
bottomless snow from
sloping driveways,
or glided a car sideways into
the middle of a large silver bus
while steering meaninglessly
in the opposite direction.

Individuals who know
the search, the urgency
of a lost mitten
at the last minute
will be first in line.

I hereby proclaim that
daffodils will no longer sprout
or sway yellowy
in the April gardens of
flabby southerners
who stroll strip malls
in mid-January,
straw-sucking fruit smoothies,
wearing what could be described as
shower clogs
on their soft, tan, sweaty feet.