Well, it’s April. The word comes from the Latin aperire “to open”. It’s when buds and blossoms open. Sometimes hearts open to love in this lovely month.
April is also designated as Poetry Month. Although I don’t intend to post a poem every day, I had to share this one which just makes me giggle. Doesn’t it just capture the euphoria of fresh love? Can’t you see this “changed man” singing, striding, laughing, pulling weeds?
by Robert Phillips
If you were to hear me imitating Pavarotti
in
the shower every morning, you’d know
how much you have changed my
life.
If you were to see me stride across the park,
waving to
strangers, then you would know
I am a changed man—like
Scrooge
awakened from his bad dreams feeling feather-
light,
angel-happy, laughing the father
of a long line of bright laughs—
“It
is still not too late to change my life!”
It is changed. Me, who felt
short-changed.
Because of you I no longer hate my body.
Because of you
I buy new clothes.
Because of you I’m a warrior of joy.
Because of you and
me. Drop by
this Saturday morning and discover me
fiercely pulling
weeds gladly, dedicated
as a born-again gardener.
Drop by on
Sunday—I’ll Turtlewax
your sky-blue sports car, no sweat. I’ll greet
enemies with a handshake, forgive debtors
with a papal largesse. It’s
all because
of you. Because of you and me,
I’ve become one changed man.
A Living Pencil 
So? How do you know of this poem? Is this Prof Phillips of Univ of Houston?
Nothing is a surer sign of true love than changed behavior.
Dana in GA
Oh, Dana, you keep me on my toes! I don’t know *anything* about the author. I get a daily email, The Writer’s Almanac, which has a daily poem. This was this morning’s poem. Now I have to bop on the net and see who Prof Phillips is.You summed it up – and that sentence is going into my quote book!
Bingo!http://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title_pages/2384.htmlScroll down to the bottom and it says that he teaches at the University of Houston.Do tell, Dana!! How do you know about him?
Beautiful AND Fun. :0)
Carol,
Truth be known …I dont know of Prof Phillips. But cynic that I am, I always want to *know more*, especially about authors and what influences them. Just finished reading/listening to a book, which introduced a new poet to me. Look for an entry about him in the not-too-distant future.
Dana in GA