dual personalities

Believe it or not, when I sit down to write these posts, I always intend to be positive and cheerful, though it rarely works out that way. Today, I thought that poems about spring would be a happy subject, but wouldn’t you know that the poems I like best are anything but cheerful. Take this real downer from Edna St. Vincent Millay:

Spring

To what purpose, April, do you return again?
Beauty is not enough.
You can no longer quiet me with the redness
Of little leaves opening stickily.
I know what I know.
The sun is hot on my neck as I observe
The spikes of the crocus.
The smell of the earth is good.
It is apparent that there is no death.
But what does that signify?
Not only under ground are the brains of men
Eaten by maggots.
Life in itself
Is nothing,
An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs.
It is not enough that yearly, down this hill,
April
Comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.

I don’t feel that way — not by a long shot — although it’s easy to imagine someone being depressed enough to write such verse. To people in pain spring must seem almost like an insult. Yet I think the rest of us can be forgiven for letting balmy breezes and baby animals blind us to the floods, tornados, electrical storms, drowned crops and leaky roofs that accompany spring. Who wouldn’t prefer a bluebell wood

to a natural disaster?

Having acknowledged the Janus-like nature of Spring, let us turn to practicalities. At this time of year, although the snow still lies thick on the ground, I start planning household and garden projects, which for me means painting a room, cleaning out closets and planting flowers in pots. There’s something curiously comforting about these activities. I guess it’s nice to think I’ll actually get something done. Anyway, this year’s indoor project is going to be the pantry-closet. I plan to paint it and install proper shelving, etc., although I’m not going to go the professional closet design route. I’m looking for simplicity and functionality; something basic and affordable.

If anyone out there has any suggestions for how to organize an 8′ 10″ X 4′ space into an effective pantry, please share your ideas in the comments!

All of this brings me back to poor, depressed Edna St. Vincent Millay. If you’re feeling down, get busy! Pardon me if I sound trite, and I do not mean to dismiss serious depression, but following the “hands to work and hearts to God” rule has great results. Finishing any project that has required time and effort is bound to raise our spirits.