We name our fires now.
For hurricanes and storms-
A list in alphabetic order determines how.

And they take turns -
Girl names, boy names.
When a forest burns

The first to get there
Decides what to call it.
I supposed that’s only fair.

I should like to name
Those four nice days
In April - with tame

Winds & warm sun
You cannot waste
On getting things done.

When you dally
On the porch
And tally

Each bird’s call,
Every visitor
A reason to stall;

When it's too soon
To plant, but still
Your hands swoon

To be in soil
Just the same -
Toil or no toil.

I don’t know their name,
Not yet
Just the same -

I know that they should have one.

 — Jeanine Pranses

Jeanine Pranses is a Recreational Therapy Aide, yoga teacher, and writer living & loving in Hanover, PA.

All works copyright Jeanine Pranses and/or Andrew T. Smith