Thursday, April 14, 2011

I steal flowers, figs, and berries...


I see that I've lost a follower. That's fine, perhaps even good. Inspiration to write and less pressure. Not that anyone pressures me to write. Not that I don't love that anyone follows me. I'm amazed anyone does actually. I'm so spotty and dissatisfying.
I feel blindsided by this spring. By work. By love. Is it love that keeps me away from the keyboard? Is it love that is making this spring so crazy beautiful? I don't know. I don't want to stop writing, and I haven't actually. I just can't seem to finish anything.
This spring: first it was the Japanese Magnolias. I blame it on them. There were not blossoms and then there were, an explosion of blossoms, a proud of blossoms, a murder of them, and fat they were and dripping from trees. The smell was overwhelming and high inducing, and at one point I stood between two on a carpet of spent petals with the blue sky overhead and the buzzing of bees as loud as lawn mowers and I thought "Does it get better than this?".
But yes it does.
Then came the dogwoods. Snow. Snow with leaves, and tiny green centers, and gray zig-zag branches that alone would be enough. Then came the azaleas, regular and miniature, in all the bridesmaid colors. And then came the cherries and the pears (blossoms, not fruit), and tung, all fast and furious and garish and wonderful.
Add to that the birds that pass through these parts in such numbers that you wonder what it looks like in the place they eventually perch. Finches, wrens, blue jays, cardinals, geese, woodpeckers, yes. Those are the ones I can name. Bluebirds- I saw them at my boyfriend's mother's house. I said I'd never seen one, and there one was. There was one day while walking to work when I saw such a flock of birds, so many I had to stand and look and was late for all my standing but I did not care. I was on a canopy road and they filled the trees, all those great big Spanish moss dripping trees, they filled them and then lifted off, and then filled them and lifted off. Again and again, and when they took to the air they did so in a great scrawing formation. They made a blow fish in the air, and then a dragon, and then a bearcat, and then settled on down only to do it again. I could have stayed and watched for hours. I felt like calling in well, as Tom Robbins would say. "I'm sorry, I can't come into work. The birds. Yes. They are too beautiful." Some days it feels like a sin against God to go into work.
But that was months ago. Maybe two. It's all different now. Flower sex has caught, and everything is fecund. The first fruits are swelling, the mulberries are already ripe. Not quite fall-on-the-ground-and-stain-your-feet ripe, but ripe enough to pluck on the way to work and arrive red handed and berry mouthed. The fig trees smell like figs. The loquats and kumquats are heavy. We have a lemon tree at the restaurant that I've been promised is a rare variety that is so sweet you can eat the fruit off the branch. I miss the blossoms (they smelled like heaven) but I love the tiny green marbles that get bigger every day. I love that the pear trees have lost their petals because I cant wait to roast the pears in brown sugar and butter. Vanilla. Lemon zest. Ginger. When the world smells like honey how can you help but be hungry? I swear I gain 10 pounds every spring.
The roses are almost done, but the jasmine is blooming. Entire walls of it that proves that nature is the queen boss of us all because we know it will pull our fences down and yet we plant it there and let it go wild. Soon it will be so florid with tiny white pinwheels that the scent, when walking by, will make me feel so light headed and high that it will honestly make my knees go weak. I will want to sink to the ground. I will want to lie on the sidewalk. I will want to look at the sky spinning above my head. It is not the sky! It is the jasmine and the bees! I shall have to tell myself this firmly. I shall have to walk on. It does not do to lie on the sidewalk. Spring fever or no.
I can not remember a spring so beautiful. I forgot to mention the wisteria. And the honeysuckle. And the camellias. There are camellias that look like ripped open organs, tattered and fat and blood red. There are also those that look like roses or virginal fairy dresses. One for every lady. Maybe this is why we love them.
So love. Maybe it is love making everything smell so sweet. Or maybe it is love allowing me to be open to the spring, to the flesh of it and the beauty of it and the smell of it and the great great opening of it all. Just like a lonely girl eschews sex scenes in movies so does one turn a blind eye to spring. Non fate guerra al maggio, my friend. War not with May. And May is coming. So soon. In a couple of weeks. For the first time in a long time, I am looking forward to May, and accepting her as she may come.

12 comments:

Elizabeth said...

It's good to see your name, your blog at the top of my blogroll. And better, still, to come here and read your beautiful words.

Petit fleur said...

It has been a particularly spectacular long winded spring! I don't remember spring lasting this long... the cool evenings and mornings...

Love you, love your words and LOVE the opening and coming of May.
xo

Ms. Moon said...

Well, perfect and lovely, just like you, my darling.
And maybe it's true- maybe we are only open to beauty when we are able to admit our own and thus, the beauty in our lives.
Who knows?
Not me.
What I do know is that you walk in beauty, no matter the season. And now walking in love, you are ever more beautiful.

That Hank said...

So say we all!

Mel said...

Cheers for Spring and love and posts from May. Your words paint such pictures. Sometimes beautiful days sweep me away so intensely I feel like I'm tripping on acid or high on some new drug, but it's probably my monkey brain endorphins just loving the moment.
I'd eat the fruits on my walk too, and smell the blossoms and touch the petals. I hope you get a wonderful day off to stand in place and soak it up with no deadlines or clocks ticking, just sunshine and endorphins. And maybe a blanket, a picnic lunch and your love. That's a perfect day, yes?
Happy Spring and Happy May, May.
xo

SJ said...

I always like when you write :)

I need an update from you...I haven't talked to you in too long!

6279 said...

Thank you for this absolutely luscious piece of writing and this glimpse into your sweet awareness and recognition of beauty.
I appreciated the trippy, flowing prose poem of your Spring Welcome. Bees as loud as lawnmowers - YES I know that sound! Remember turning cartwheels on green grass so tender that its bruises on our pants and knees made fresh paintings of spring?

I love your writing, May.

Steph(anie) said...

Flowers and fruit are the sex and babies of the planty world. You have captured the beauty and juiciness of it all perfectly. Watch out, I may just eat you up.

Mwa said...

I'm sure it is love opening your eyes. I'm happy for you.

May said...

Elizabeth- And it's good to see your sweet face at the top of my comments! Thank you.

Petit Fleur- Isn't it a lovely spring? Thank you sweetie. Kisses.

Mama- I adore you, my beautiful Mama. I just want to kiss all over your face.

DTG- SO SAY WE ALL!

Mel- That would be a perfect day! Sigh. Maybe someday. Hopefully before it gets too hot. I'm glad you feel that trippy feeling sometimes, it is such a good feeling. Thank you for reading and sharing.

SJ- I know, right? It has been too long. We shall talk soon.

Mary- And thank you for the pictures you put in my head. Yes, cartwheels... which I only learned how to do in highschool with my best friend in the field across from her house. And yes, we were covered in green by the time I learned. Good times.

Stephanie- That made me smile so much. I hope I am as tasty as mulberries, and leave less of a stain.

Mwa- I love you. I just wanted to say that.

DB Stewart said...

I could actually smell pears when I read this. Beauty. Thanks.
And don't ever feel pressure. I'd read your shopping list.

Jo said...

Oops, I missed this. I was wondering how the Love was going. I'm glad it is still growing :)