Day 4 ... NaPoWriMo / Poem-a-Day 2026 / Stafford 78

Thanks for coming back! Today's Day 4 poem is #78 in this year's Stafford Challenge (and #443, including last year's poems). Maureen Thorson’s NaPoWriMo prompt: “Today, we’d like to challenge you to craft [a] short poem that involves a weather phenomenon and some aspect of the season.” Robert Lee Brewer’s Poem-a-Day suggestion: “For today's prompt, write a friend poem.” As usual, I'm merging both prompts in my poem. I refer here to Persephone, the Greek goddess of spring, who is also the Queen of the Underworld, where she spends winter. Spring             —curtal sonnet Our old friend Persephone has come back — well, really our ever-young friend, graceful and lithe, bringing with her from underground daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, bouquets of light, as well as spring showers, gentle rain though sometimes too lightning and thunder. But, alas, for me Persephone is not always a good friend like most people think. With pretty flowers comes pollen and sneezing, runny nose, itchy tearful eyes.                             I'm glad it’s not year-round! —Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.] Photo by cenczi on pixabay.com. Introducing his poem today, Alan wrote, "In his essay for The Rag-Picker’s Guide to Poetry, Maurice Manning describes his invented form, the 'honky tanka,' as six lines, five words per line, mixed-up meter, and maybe a rhyme, all inviting vernacular speech. I’m following today’s prompts with a honky tanka." Renewed Vow Sweetheart, it’s been fifty years since we first met—suppose on our upcoming fiftieth anniversary it rains hard in August, enough for a deep puddle— together, let’s dip bare toes. —Draft by Thomas Alan Holmes    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.] Lovely poem, Alan. Wonderful love poem too. I appreciate how you got in one rhyme, as Maurice Manning suggests: "toes" and "suppose." Thanks for coming by and reading our poems, everyone. Hope to see you tomorrow! Friends, won’t you comment, please? Love to know what you’re thinking. Thanks! Ingat, everyone.  ヅ