Spring

Spring returns,
Reclaims the land,
Stirs the fish and lets them run,
Pins the apples to the trees,
Liberates the frozen stream.

When Spring arrived,
It thawed my bones,
Drizzled rain through my shriveled throat,
Shined its light in my dying eyes
And laid its hand upon my head.

Blood coursed through my veins;
I stood upon my feet;
The breeze flowed in and out of me
And I could breathe again

When winter returns,
I will succumb, and sleep,
But spring will come again:
Sleep is the burden of letting go,
Life is the art of waking up.

By: Walter Weinschenk

Walter Weinschenk is an attorney, writer and musician. Until a few years ago, he wrote short stories exclusively but now divides his time equally between poetry and prose. Walter’s writing has appeared in numerous literary publications including La Piccioletta Barca, The Normal School, Lunch Ticket, The Carolina Quarterly, The Worcester Review and others. He is the author of “The Death of Weinberg: Poems and Stories” (Kelsay Books, 2023). More of Walter’s work can be found at walterweinschenk.com.