If April is all about making an attention-getting entrance, May is the thrill of a party in full swing.
The forsythia blossoms have receded and green leaves unfurled. The tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths have slipped away unnoticed. The trees have rained showers of petals and pollen onto the fields, yards, and sidewalks, and delivered cool, green, and shady places just in time for warm weather. The flies, ants, and bees are energized, and work the gardens from sun up to sundown.
The parkas have finally been pushed to the back of the closet, the blankets get folded down most nights. The windows are opened each morning to greet the day. Feet are liberated from socks and boots and catching a view in sandals. White arms and shoulders blush in the sun after months of hiding under layers. Freckles dot pale noses and cheeks like cinnamon sprinkled over vanilla ice cream. Sunscreen reappears on the bathroom shelf.
Women in bright colored skirts and softly shaded linen dresses move with confidence. Shy girls dare to wear lipstick. Shy boys dare to notice. Men and women watch one another while pretending to watch something else. The birds carrying thatch to make a nest. The doves cooing and dancing on the roof.
The days are long and warm, the nights cool and gentle. A breeze carries the sweet smell of cut grass from house to house. Skinny legs with bruises and band-aids power bicycles, scooters, and roller skates up and down the sidewalk. The patios and cafes entertain outdoor guests.
Curtains flutter through open windows, conversations and laughter drift onto the street. Men lean against buildings fingering their cigarettes, waiting for something to happen. The shopkeepers linger near the doorway, eager to greet customers and make the cash registers ring. The streets hum with activity and plans. We dare to dream because May is all that we’ve hoped for, delivered to our door, wrapped with anticipation of the summer days that lie ahead.
Copyright 2006 Veronica McCabe Deschambault. All rights reserved.
May 8, 2006