OFFERINGS OF MARCH

March has arrived in like a lion with a brief cool down here in Florida and will hopefully leave like a lamb as the saying goes.

During my years of living up north, after New Year’s Day, I would go into a ‘funk’.  Some call it the ‘winter humdrums’; I called mine ‘funky winter blues’. Sounds like a song title doesn’t it?

The dreary gray days of January to March held no interest for me.  Like many, I could not wait for the warm weather to arrive, the trees to have leaves again and the grass to turn to lovely shades of green.

One year I decided to look on the bright side and find the silver lining in those months until spring would be in full bloom.  February seemed like a good choice.    

I thought I could at least learn something new with February designated as Black History Month.  It would give me an education on the events and people who shaped the Black Community.  Learning something new is always a welcome to my brain.  Also I waited patiently to learn if whether or not Punxsutawney Phil would see his shadow.  February brought the event of Mardi Gras; fun and parties to celebrate before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten Season.  The day of love, Valentine’s Day, was another holiday for celebration.  The lucky ones had a day off from work due to President’s Day.  The fans of NASCAR were more than thrilled to see the season begin with the Daytona 500.  Of course February is the month of my birthday and that of three other family members; parties and celebrations all around.

Indeed February appeared to be a month of events to give me a ‘pick-me-up’ from my ‘funky winter blues’.

Last year as I sat writing in my personal journal I made notes about the month of March and what it has to offer.  I put these thoughts into a poem called “March Offerings”.  I realized that February holds no patent on a event filled month; March has a lot to offer.  At least I feel it does for me living here in the Sunshine State. 

The following poem tells it all.  I may add, though, there should have been a post script to the piece I wrote which would probably go something like this:

P.S.  March at times is the month we celebrate Palm Sunday and Easter.

          Bring on those jelly beans and chocolate covered peanut butter eggs.

MARCH OFFERINGS

 ©Scottie-ann Murphy

(Written in March 2012)

The early morning sun tries to move from behind the gray clouds

it does nothing to warm us; the blowing winds of March chill our bones

i put on a pair of red framed glasses to read the mail

Sipping black coffee laced with a small bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream

I tear open an envelope containing a St. Patty’s day greeting card

A Claddagh with the words LOVE- LOYALTY- FRIENDSHIP printed

semi-circle on the front

Inside picture….shamrocks pouring out of a Kelly green bowler

TOP O’ THE MORNING written beneath in bold black lettering

The main verse states that there are four things needed for

a wonderful St. Patrick’s day……shamrocks,  Irish derby hat,

pot of gold and most importantly a mug of brew

My mouth salivates at the sight of the glasses of beer illustrated inside

White foam pours out over the top and spills down the sides

I mentally taste a frosty Guinness chilling my taste buds

Perhaps this should be our appropriate beer choice for the month

March….thirty-one days packed with excitement

St. Patrick’s Day falling on a weekend; celebrations and parades to enjoy

March Madness….jeers and cheers for fans of college basketball

Who will reign as number one for this year many wonder?

Beach towns and destinations will greet with open arms spring breakers

arriving from the frigid north to enjoy sun, sand, surf and suds

Clocks will be pushed ahead for that one extra hour of daylight

Highlands County will welcome the masses of race car fanatics

clamoring to central Florida to watch the ‘Twelve Hours of Sebring’

The boys of summer return to the diamond for spring training games

Women celebrate Women’s History Month…. we all await springs arrival

I spot a book of poetry and quotes on the coffee table

Picking it up I flip through the pages and find the passage

from an unknown author….it is an Irish saying

“An Irishman is never drunk as long as he can hold onto one blade of

grass to keep from falling off the earth. “

I book mark the page to refer back to it during the month

It will become our mantra while enjoying all the festivities

that March has to offer