After a couple days
with April showers,
springshine is back
in Northern CA,

his email says with
three sweet photos
of the pink dogwood
he sees when he steps
out his front door—

one showing the new
sprites at a distance,
sprouting from the tree
that struts its stuff
this time of year,

one a bit closer showing
the wood of dog petals
uplifted to blue sky,

and a closeup of
creamy pink blossoms
backlit by generous sun,
delicate veins running
vertically down each
petal,

not unlike ones that rise
now from the backs of my
hands—my mother’s hands,
my grandmother’s hands—

that carry our lifeblood
for all the seasons we’re
given.

•••

(with thanks to Dick Schmidt for the photos and inspiration)