"Prothalamium" by Aaron Kramer

Come, all you who are not satisfied
as ruler in a lone, wallpapered room
full of mute birds, and flowers that falsely bloom,
and closets choked with dreams that long ago died!

Come, let us sweep out the old streets - like a bride:
sweep out dead leaves with a relentless broom;
prepare for Spring, as though he were our groom
for whose light footstep eagerly we bide.

We'll sweep out shadows, where the rats long fed;
sweep out our shame - and in its place we'll make
a bower for love, a splendid marriage-bed
fragrant with flowers aquiver for the Spring.
And when he comes, our murdered dreams shall wake;
and when he comes, all the mute birds shall sing.

(Used as the epigraph to Barbara Kingsolver's book 'Prodigal Summer').

Kingsolver, B. (2000). Prodigal summer. London: Faber and Faber.

[Photo by nathan kaso], downloaded 25th June, 2010, from:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nathankaso/.