April, the Angel of Months
Vita Sackville-West

September and October have always been my favorite months.
Harvest, color, moderate temps, rewards for work.

April has been pleasant, but never made it in my top three favorite months.
It’s time to upgrade April.

Here’s why.

First the name.
This is about the happiest moment
of my brief career learning Latin.
April comes from the Latin “aperire” which means to open.
April is the opening month.

Open flowers.
Open windows.
Open gym shoes.
Open grave.
Opened eyes to color.
Opened ears to poetry.

Yes!
April is National Poetry Month.

Nothing is so beautiful as Spring–
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.

What is all this juice and all this joy?
A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden. –Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning.

Spring ~ Gerard Manley Hopkins

…all in a rush with richness…
…all this juice and all this joy…

Don’t worry about getting it.
Take your time and savor the words.
Go slow and the meaning will come.