Purple Crocus

Forgive these hasty posts. Just setting things to publish for the next few days due to serious computer problems. This is a lovely photograph by Gertrud K of Berlin; she's been quite generous in her permissions. Here is her photostream. On the other blog, I put in a Linda Pastan poem & will do so here, too, below. (originally in The Atlantic Monthly)

Crocuses

They come
by stealth, spreading
the rumour of spring --
near the hedge . . .
by the gate . . .
at our chilly feet . . .
mothers of saffron, fathers
of insurrection, purple
and yellow scouts
of an army still massing
just to the south.