Oh, February.
You have a terrible but well-deserved reputation. You are the longest shortest month; we all complain about you. You're the insufferable supervisor who constantly calls unnecessary meetings that drag on hours after everything that needed to be said was said. We can't wait for you to adjourn.
If you're having that kind of February, check out Jill Osier's "February." It captures the essence of the month perfectly. My favorite lines:
Oh, I am sick. I fade, I fall,
I curse this month, all it wants
to be. Its lot is the same
each time, unthawed.
Honestly, though, I can't complain much about our February this year. (And yet I do.) February 2020 is, overall, warmer than normal (if you don't count that -4 degree reading yesterday morning, and you ignore averaging.) There's only a week and a day of it left (not that I'm counting.) And at least Ash Wednesday didn't fall on Valentine's Day this year. (There's always something to be said for that.)
Still.
It's almost over, thank goodness, other than that tricky extra day next weekend. (It seems a cruelty to tack an extra day onto February, of all months, doesn't it? Whose warped idea was that anyway? Why don't we get an extra day in June??)
I'm reminded of a February haiku I wrote years ago:
February fades,
Like a guest who stayed too long.
Shut the door, and sigh.
Just one more week! (And a day.)
~~~~~~~~~~
The Poetry Friday round-up is at Library Matters this week.
Hear, hear. One more week. Strangely enough, this month has felt long and short at the same time.
ReplyDeleteJama, yes! I hear you about the long-and-short at the same time! :)
DeleteI love February, because it's my birthday month. And also, we have some days off next week for Carnival! :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Ruth! And yay for Carnival and days off! :)
DeleteYou are so funny. I have actually had a good February, for once, but I can't say I'm not looking forward to it's end. But, only because it gets us that muc closer to my favorite time of year... SPRING!
ReplyDeleteCheers to good Februarys (Februaries?) and to springtime! :D
DeleteHa, ha, love it. We had that 'extra warming' in January, now our February we wished were over has been snow about every other day! It's in the fifties today, waking up to snow tomorrow! Your post is wonderful Karen, like a fun op-ed! "Shut the door, and sigh."
ReplyDeleteLinda, we've had lots of that back-and-forth, too. -4 the other day, a walk outside in very spring-y weather yesterday! I'm ready for a steady stream of spring-y days. :)
DeleteYour haiku is perfect. No snow for us this month, just days and days of rain. Until this past week . . . when we were blessed with glorious sunshine. I'm always glad when that happens on mid-winter break for the folks who can't vacation in Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ramona! I'm glad for you that you got that glorious sunshine!
DeleteI love February. It helps that we now have a statutory holiday and long weekend in the middle of it, but here where I live, February is the month when green shoots and snowdrops reminds us that Spring is on it's way!
ReplyDeleteLong live green shoots and snowdrops, Cheriee!
DeleteAwwww. It was nice to see February on a visit anyway. Nice haiku!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda! Happy Last Week of February!
DeleteFebruary does seem grey and interminable. Here's to looking forward to fresh growth and green.
ReplyDeleteI second your forward look, Kay! :)
DeleteWhen I lived in Mpls, February often felt interminable. Not so much this year in nJ. But... I hear you! And I had to laugh at "why not an extra day in June?" I hope the blahs end soon for you. Sighing...
ReplyDeleteSo glad you're having a good February in NJ, Karen! It's time for me to stop grousing ... they're predicting 60 degrees here in a few days! :)
DeleteI hope you're feeling better, Karen. February is my birthday month (as it is for many people in my family), so the snow and gray and cold feel cozy to me.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday! :) My father's birthday is in February, too, so that's always fun to celebrate. :)
DeleteI love your haiku Karen it fits February so perfectly. I'm ready, bring on Spring– but snows coming tonight first, sigh. I also like the idea of adding on an extra day in June, let's do it, thanks!
ReplyDeleteMichelle, here's hoping the snow melts quickly and that spring is soon on its way to you. Let's start a movement for a June 31st! :)
DeleteKaren, I enjoyed both poems that you shared today. February has its sweet day and a day of ashes. while it is cold today, there has been no snow.
ReplyDelete