the outdoors 

is very strange 

for the winter 

that came before 

still sheds its light 

how can you call this spring 

if there are no flowers? 

if there is no fresh grass? 

if there are no showers? 

this ain't Alaska 

this ain't Antarctica 

did spring go to those places 

and forget about everyone else 

in North America? 

it's spring break 

although I'm not so sure of it 

I asked Mother Nature 

to get a calendar 

alas, she told me "no" 

and summoned winter 

I looked deep beyond 

the snow, the grass, the soot 

and I discovered 

a growing world 

an alternative universe 

in which colorful flowers 

make for colorful imagery 

the dampness 

of a recently washed out 

rainstorm 

makes the environment 

as jubilant 

during spring break 

I enter this alternate universe 

alienated by my presence 

and I discover 

that this spring-like universe 

is the source 

for my joyfulness