Spring and Snowmen

With the weather being up and down lately, it seems that spring has arrived, if ever so tentatively. And though I have been outside often without a coat this winter due to nature of my job, this morning I carted 35 bags of garbage to the bin with no coat and the temperature was almost comfortable. Also, there were birds chirping outside at 6:00 in the dark when we woke up. I have to say that though I agree that waking up early in the morning can make one feel responsible and hard-working and Dutch-Calvinistic, waking up before the sun wakes up is just a wee bit too depressing for me. The sun should come up with me when my alarm goes off.
Anyways, the coming of spring, combined with my search for entertaining children's poetry this evening, has led me to recall one of my more favourite poems of all time, which once upon a time I illustrated for an art class.

The Snowman

by Shel Silverstein

'Twas the first day of springtime,
And the snowman stood alone
As the winter snows were melting,
And the pine trees seemed to groan,
"Ah, you poor sad smiling snowman,

You'll be melting by and by."
Said the snowman, "What a pity,
For I'd like to see July.
Yes, I'd like to see July, and please don't ask me why.
But I'd like to, yes I'd like to, oh I'd like to see July."

Chirped a robin, just arriving,
"Seasons come and seasons go,
And the greatest ice must crumble
When it's flowers' time to grow.
And as one thing is beginning
So another thing must die,
And there's never been a snowman
Who has ever seen July.
No, they never see July, no matter how they try.
No, they never ever, never ever, never see July."

But the snowman sniffed his carrot nose
And said, "At least I'll try,"
And he bravely smiled his frosty smile
And blinked his coal black eye.
And there he stood and faced the sun
A blazin' from the sky
And I really cannot tell you
If he ever saw July.
Did he ever see July? You can guess as well as I
If he ever, if he never, if he ever saw July.