Take Heart: A Conversation in Poetry: April Prayer

Edited and introduced by Wesley McNair, Maine Poet Laureate

As we say goodbye to April, which is National Poetry Month, it's the perfect time to introduce Take Heart, my new column for Maine newspapers. Take Heart will feature one poem each week by a Maine poet. The column's first poem, by Stuart Kestenbaum of Deer Isle, urges us to join him in welcoming spring.

April Prayer by Stuart Kestenbaum

Just before the green begins there is the hint of green
  a blush of color, and the red buds thicken
  the ends of the maple's branches and everything
  is poised before the start of a new world,
  which is really the same world
  just moving forward from bud
  to flower to blossom to fruit
  to harvest to sweet sleep, and the roots
  await the next signal, every signal
  every call a miracle and the switchboard
  is lighting up and the operators are
  standing by in the pledge drive we've
  all been listening to: Go make the call. 

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Take Heart: A Conversation in Poetry is produced in collaboration with the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance. Poem copyright © 2007 by Stuart Kestenbaum. Reprinted from Prayers & Run-on Sentences, Deerbrook Editions, 2007, by permission of Stuart Kestenbaum. Questions about submitting to Take Heart may be directed to David Turner, Special Assistant to the Maine Poet Laureate, at 207-228-8263 or poetlaureate@mainewriters.org