roots and leaves themselves alone

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roots and leaves themselves alone

March 22, 2015 by danielleboudrot

Welcome spring in all its glory

Roots and leaves themselves alone are these,
Scents brought to men and women from the wild woods and pond-side,
Breast-sorrel and pinks of love, fingers that wind around tighter
than vines,
Gushes from the throats of birds hid in the foliage of trees as the
sun is risen,
Breezes of land and love set from living shores to you on the living
sea, to you O sailors!
Frost-mellow’d berries and Third-month twigs offer’d fresh to young
persons wandering out in the fields when the winter breaks up,
Love-buds put before you and within you whoever you are,
Buds to be unfolded on the old terms,
If you bring the warmth of the sun to them they will open and bring
form, color, perfume, to you,
If you become the aliment and the wet they will become flowers,
fruits, tall branches and trees.

Walt Whitman ~ Leaves of Grass, 1855

Wolf Kahn ~ From Emily Foard’s Photograph II, 2013

Posted in poetry, spring, wolf kahn | 6 Comments

6 Responses

on March 22, 2015 at 4:13 pm | Reply Gary

A surge of spring !
- on March 22, 2015 at 4:33 pm | Reply danielleboudrot
  
  Thanks Gary! Look forward to you being home
on March 22, 2015 at 4:24 pm | Reply Pamela Dupuy

Such a beautiful selection you shared and the artwork is perfect for the poem. Thank you.
- on March 22, 2015 at 4:34 pm | Reply danielleboudrot
  
  Hi Pamela,
  Nice to hear from you, I hope you are enjoying these early expressions of spring.
  My best,
  danielle
on March 23, 2015 at 7:30 pm | Reply Laura

Hi Danielle, and happy spring! Nice post to start off the season. Love the colors in Wolf Kahn’s painting. I actually have a calendar this year that features his work.
on March 23, 2015 at 7:43 pm | Reply danielleboudrot

Hi Laura, so nice to hear from you! Hope you are well and seeing the first signs of spring in your neck of the woods. Still very cold here in Boston!