Thursday 26 April 2018

Springtime resolutions



Now is the time when the soot black twigs of London
and the polished brown ones of the country,
burst out, page-like, into rows of neat green buttons,
which later on become little plumes
or tufts of crinkled leaves;...





Now in fact, is the real New Year,
when all good resolutions ought to be made...
now,when the blood is rising like sap;
when irrational joy, the only safe kind,
threatens to burst your respectable waistcoat buttons;
when your feet, however prosaic your boots may look to others,
are wing-shod and scarcely touch the pavement...



The resolutions which you make in this mood are certain to be good ones,
and stand a very good chance of remaining unbroken.
They will be bold and strong, positive and constructive and adventurous.
From now on, you say, I am going to be as brave as a lion,
as firm as a rock, as kind as a dove, as active as an ant, as truthful as glass;



I will write a poem, paint a picture, compose a symphony, found a business, 
plant a tree, build a summerhouse, and repaper the dining room...
(These springtime resolutions) will provide some sort of answer
to the eternal question:
"What can one do about the spring?"
For something must be done, and soon,
or one will undoubtedly burst.*


See also here for Alicia's take on spring fever.

*Try Anything Twice - Jan Struther



6 comments:

  1. First of all, such a treat to see that movie clip! I know all those actors in the car with Elvis, and Shelley Fabares, though don't recognize the other girls. Such innocence. Now it would be drunks and gross clothes in those cars. Your post was lovely. I really think England is the garden of Eden. "Green and pleasant land" indeed, with such beautiful flowers. I so love watching Gardeners' World and seeing all the plants.

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    1. Except for the last three, the pictures were taken in the woods surrounding Rudyard Kipling's home, Bateman's in East Sussex.

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  2. Went dog walking earlier - started in cold, grey and windy. An hour later - bright sun, blue skies. Spring is a constant surprise.

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  3. What bliss, Spring really springing and the bonus of an Elvis clip. Thank you Lucille.

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  4. Ooh, that wild garlic - I pinched some from a place that cannot be revealed or I might be arrested! But it went to good use in a risotto and I used the flowers on Parmesan biscuits.

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