Allegro
(Meant to be read rhythmically)
Whenever a
spring-breeze caresses my heart or
A sweet-scented
flower-field my soul bears apart or
A glossy-hued
songbird addresses the sky or
The liquid -white
sunlight bedazzles my eyes or
A brown -burnished
tree by its leaves lends me shade or
A nice nect'rous
fruit-bush my labour repays or
Nights silv'ry
o'er -watcher enriches her jewels or
Dark clouds
ever-changing change puddles to pools or
The mountains with
Wisdom their white crowns lay bare or
A hill in his
green-ness feeds sheep with his hair or
The Dragon
breathes fire from his north-eastern den or
The mist rises
early o'er moor, crag and fen or
Dawn follows the
dusk by a nod and a wink or
An ancient tree
bends towards new bend in his creek or
In raising her
young a proud mother-hart fawns or
The setting
sky-chariot transforms blue to bronze -
By these I know truly that May Day is come;
By these I know May Day is come.
© 2005 Laura Bielek
Notes:
This poem was written with a deliberate rhythm and style by the author. When read with a fast pace it mimics a "jig". However, slowing down the pace of poem gives the reader the rhythm of a "waltz".
In line 1, the writer mentions the imagery of a spring breeze caressing her heart. This, she says describes the pleasantness of the spring breeze, as it "does something for your soul... like God's comfort".
In line 3 where Laura writes of a "glossy-hued song-bird", she is informing the reader of her sighting of a black bird, so smooth and shiny that she portrays it as "glossy-hued".
The constant ending of "or", along with the regular use of compound nouns (as adjectives) and suffixes such as "green-ness", accentuates the poem's light and joyful conveyance of a May Day, helping the reader to see why the poem has been aptly named, "Allegro".
In line 9, the poet mentions that "white crowns" of the mountains, this may be seen to represent clouds, or perhaps even snow. - Why do you, believe that Laura describes the mountains as being with their "Wisdom"?
In line 11, the writer mentions a Dragon breathing fire form a north-eastern den. This is in reference to the spring -time constellation in the North-eastern sky named, "Draco".
The poem ends with the culmination of all of the mythical and aesthetic, imagery and depiction by telling us that "May Day is come", "By these I know may Day is come". This final, use of repetition seals the impression in the reader's mind of an ode to spring, written with deliberate musical sensitivity.
- Elizabeth, DPW.