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Short Story 387 – Spring Approaching, A Poem (Int)

The wind, a whisper, hints of change,
A stirring in the sleeping range
Of hills, where frosted shadows lie,
Beneath a pale and wintry sky.
The sun, though still a distant gleam,
Sheds longer rays, a hopeful beam,
That dances on the frozen ground,
Where life lies silent, tightly bound.

The robin, perched on bare oak’s crest,
A splash of red against its breast,
Begins to sing a bolder tune,
A promise whispered of the moon,
That waxes, wanes, then waxes bright,
To usher in the burgeoning light.
The air, though crisp, holds something new,
A hint of green, a softer hue.

The snowdrops, shy and delicate,
Like pearls from winter’s casket, break
The earth’s cold surface, one by one,
Their fragile beauty, just begun.
A signal whispered, soft and low,
That life beneath begins to flow.
The crocus, bold in purple, gold,
Unfurls its petals, brave and bold.

The frozen streams, in slow release,
Begin to murmur, find their peace,
And trickle down the barren hills,
In tiny, silver, dancing rills.
The icy grip begins to yield,
As nature’s secrets are revealed.
The earth breathes deep, a sigh of ease,
Awakening from its long appease.

The fields, once brown, begin to show
A subtle tint of verdant glow.
The sleeping seeds, beneath the soil,
Respond to nature’s gentle toil.
The dormant roots begin to stir,
A vibrant pulse, a gentle purr,
As life returns with vibrant grace,
And paints a smile on winter’s face.

The hedgerows, bare and stark before,
Now show a hint of something more.
Small buds appear on every thorn,
A promise of the leaves new-born.
The blackthorn’s delicate white flowers,
A fleeting beauty, in brief hours,
Announce the season’s gentle sway,
And chase the winter’s gloom away.

The birds return from distant lands,
With songs of spring, and joyful bands.
The swallows swoop, the skylarks soar,
Their melodies forevermore,
A chorus rising to the sky,
As winter’s harshness starts to die.
The air is filled with sweet perfume,
Of blossoms bursting into bloom.

The lambs, with playful, skipping feet,
Dance in the fields, a vision sweet.
Their mothers watch with gentle eyes,
As nature’s tapestry unfurls and lies,
A vibrant carpet, rich and deep,
Where life’s sweet secrets softly sleep,
And waken now with joyful sound,
On fertile, sun-kissed, hallowed ground.

The days grow longer, brighter, clear,
Dispelling every doubt and fear.
The sunbeams dance on every leaf,
And banish winter’s bitter grief.
The world awakens, fresh and new,
A canvas painted, bright and true.
And in this vibrant, verdant scene,
We find the magic of the spring, serene.


Vocabulary Notes

Burgeoning: Meaning: Beginning to grow or increase rapidly; flourishing.
Example: “…To usher in the burgeoning light.” Here, “burgeoning” refers to the light of spring, increasing in intensity and duration.
Similar words: Flourishing, sprouting, developing, expanding, proliferating.

Appease: Meaning: To satisfy or pacify; to calm or quiet.
Example: “…Awakening from its long appease.” In this context, “appease” refers to the earth’s rest during winter, a period of dormancy. It’s as if winter has “appeased” the earth’s need for activity.
Similar words: Pacify, soothe, mollify, placate, satisfy.

Verdant: Meaning: Green in colour; covered with green vegetation.
Example: “A subtle tint of verdant glow.” This describes the first hints of green appearing in the fields as spring approaches.
Similar words: Green, lush, leafy, verdurous, flourishing.

Dormant: Meaning: In a state of rest or inactivity; inactive but capable of becoming active again.
Example: “The dormant roots begin to stir…” This refers to the roots of plants, which are inactive during winter but come to life in spring.
Similar words: Inactive, latent, sleeping, resting, quiescent.

Rills: Meaning: Small streams or channels.
Example: “…In tiny, silver, dancing rills.” This describes the melting snow and ice forming small streams.
Similar words: Brooks, creeks, rivulets, streams, trickles.

Casket: Meaning: A small ornamental box, often used for jewels or valuables. (Here used metaphorically).
Example: “Like pearls from winter’s casket, break…” Winter is being compared to a casket, holding the “pearls” of the snowdrops. It emphasizes the preciousness and beauty emerging from the cold.
Similar words: Box, container, chest, coffer. (In this context, the metaphorical use is key).

Swoop: Meaning: To descend or move quickly and smoothly, especially in a curve.
Example: “The swallows swoop…” Describes the characteristic flight of swallows.
Similar words: Dive, plunge, descend, sweep, glide.

Hallowed: Meaning: Regarded as holy; sacred. (Here used metaphorically to emphasize the special nature of the ground in spring).
Example: “…On fertile, sun-kissed, hallowed ground.” The ground, now fertile and life-giving, is treated with reverence.
Similar words: Consecrated, blessed, sanctified, holy, revered.

Appease (as a noun – less common): A less common usage meaning the act of appeasing or the state of being appeased.
Example: “…Awakening from its long appease.” This could be interpreted as the earth awakening from its long period of being “appeased” or quieted by winter.
Similar words: Pacification, mollification, placation.

Articulate (as a verb, implied in “whispered”): Meaning: To express (an idea or feeling) fluently and clearly. While not explicitly stated, the poem uses “whispered” to imply the earth is articulating its secrets.
Example: “A signal whispered, soft and low…” The whispered signal is the earth’s way of articulating the arrival of spring.
Similar words: Express, communicate, verbalize, pronounce, utter.

Story written by Google Gemini 2.0 AI

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads

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