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Argument from a February Dawn

2/23/2023

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Picture
A February dawn seldom breaks pastel
over a sun-soaked horizon, more often creeps grey
like a duvet over bare limbs, eaves, and dormant beds.
February dawns do not take time to smile languidly
on sentimental wishes plucked from flower petals,
or found in a four-leaf clover or on a bed of hay.
 
February argues against sensible minds awaiting
a fresh start with bright spring greens,
warm light, and tennis courts long laid fallow,
and simply demands that we listen.
 
So I listen and walk before the city takes shape,
a chill rain tapping a syncopated beat on my parka,
and I am brought back suddenly
on a winter duck hunt with Don, shotguns
cradled in folded arms against the drizzle,
me hoping I won’t have to put a finger
to a metal trigger and shoot.
 
Then I hear his voice when a varied thrush trills
across the park, piercing the drum of rain--
his low dozy chirping, his sudden rush of laughter
at something said, an old joke, a memory lost,
then a burst of surprise at some beautiful thing
a sensible person would never notice.
 
A low trill from a thrush, a gust of wind,
tree limbs waver. I lift my face, awash.
In the rain pellets I hear his halting voice
the days before he slipped away, affirming
February’s argument—love is eternal.

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    Author

    I started writing these posts thinking of them as interruptions of grace in the ordinary and mundane events of life. 

    But after writing a few, I realized that grace wasn't interrupting but was there all along. I just had to have the eyes to see it.

    If you find these musings worth reading, pass them along.

    - Karl -

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(c) Copyright 2022 Karl Petersen
Photos used under Creative Commons from Mellicious, jdg32373, Creativity103, symphony of love, goingslo, ouhos, BobShrader, anoldent, thewebprincess, memsahib 313, thezartorialist.com, Manitoba Historical Maps, ben.fitzgerald, Kelly Short6, todbaker, RICO24h, jamingray, Philip Ed, JohnSeb, PhilipRobertson, Wildpuck, jillyspoon, tomooka, digiensemble, fontplaydotcom, Vitorio Benedetti, hahatango, Eric.Ray, jvree, Olivia Harmon, Softness
  • Home
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    • Stars Beyond the Veil
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    • Reformed
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