Sunday 3 February 2013

No later than tomorrow by Jan Harris

Persephone will place her hand on the ewe’s side
and feel the lamb quicken
snowdrops and alium will light the ground where she walks
her footsteps awakening snails, snakes,
a multitude of microbes
all stirring the earth-smell of spring.
*
As she slips through tomorrow and tomorrow
apple trees will shower Persephone’s hair with blossom
silken petals will barely-kiss soft skin
her hand will slice the lake’s reflection
as surely as salmon glide and leap
but the past leans over and casts its seeds.

No later than tomorrow
the lamb will become the ewe
snakes will slumber and snails burrow deep
before earth and water turn to stone
and in the darkness, swaddled in sorrow,
Persephone will close her eyes and sleep.


Jan Harris, UK

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Goosebumps at the last two lines. But it makes the spring all the more cherished.

janetld said...

You take us on a journey with rich, beautiful images and detail.

Gerry Snape said...

love the line:
"No later than tomorrow
the lamb will become the ewe..."

thanks for a hopeful look at nature...

Edward Gardner said...

Beautiful piece - also agree with Gerry above - "no later than tomorrow / the lamb will become the ewe" is a lovely phrase.

I especially like the whole second stanza of the poem - that "tomorrow and tomorrow" with "apple trees will shower" and the feel of "slice the lake's reflection" and "the past leans over and casts its seeds". Thank's for sharing this - you leave us with some haunting imagery.