Spring Evening
The first spring evening
when it’s light enough
to cook with the light on,
and the backdoor open,
the scent of hyacinths
and cold grass meeting
the smokiness of paprika
as some ardent souls
work away at Vivaldi’s
Adagio for Strings
or something surprising
like Bach’s Toccata and Fugue,
and the cat in the garden
makes its move on
an unsuspecting pigeon
and crows wait for carrion.
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Dan Wyke was born in 1973 and lives in West Sussex. He has an MA in twentieth-century poetry from the University of Sussex and works as a counsellor for Breakeven and in private practice.
He received an Eric Gregory Award in 1999. His poems have appeared in a number of publications, including The Rialto, The Reader, New Walk Magazine, TLS, and The Spectator. His work has also featured on a number of online sites and blogs, including Ink, Sweat & Tears, peony moon, and days of roses. Waterloo Press brought out a pamphlet ‘Scattering Ashes’ in 2004 and a first full-length collection ‘Waiting for the Sky to Fall’ in 2010. He also has a poetry blog at: Other Lives
Other links:
http://ink-sweat-and-tears.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2010/7/4/4570023.html
http://peonymoon.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/waiting-for-the-sky-to-fall/
http://daysofroses.wordpress.com/2011/06/29/poem-from-dan-wyke/
http://www.waterloopresshove.co.uk/#/dan-wyke-2010/4548332046
Abegail Morley 
This is a very evocative poem Dan and it’s great to see it here. I felt as if I was there and I love the way you lull the reader into a sense of hope and new life and beauty around and then the last stanza a reminder of death and destruction. I particularly like the “cold grass meeting the smokiness of paprika” and the “ardent souls working away…………” Very subtle and brilliantly done. The reader can smell, hear and feel this poem – wish we could always have the window open like this. Great read – thank you.
The understated tone and “back-yard” scale of things works really well in this poem. It’s a reminder to me about the miracle of the change of seasons and the miracle of the every day life (and death) things that go on – if we just open our ears and eyes. So thanks, Dan. Had a peek at your blog – and I’m now following it on networked blogs. Thanks.
Thank you Valerie and Elly for your kind and insightful comments.