APRIL

There is nothing about April that I don’t love. True, it’s a month of rain off and on but this month brings forth March’s sprouts into bloom. And although many flowers and plants bloom, lilacs are my favorite—always have been. Forever, it seems, every April in my classroom, I would put up a big poster with Langston Hughes’ poem, “April Love Song.” Not only did I love it but so did my students; I caught them many times reading the poem to themselves.

APRIL RAIN SONG by Langston Hughes



Let the rain kiss you.

Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.

Let the rain sing you a lullaby.



The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk.

The rain makes running pools in the gutter.

The rain plays a little sleep-song on our roof at night—



And I love the rain.

Langston Hughes, "April Rain Song" from Collected Poems. Copyright © 1994 by the Estate of Langston Hughes. Reprinted with the permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, In

The other favorite thing I love about April is the blooming of lilacs: They seem to appear magically, have a heavenly smell and their stay is brief but what joy they bring to the finder!poietes.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/grace-in-small-things-33/poietes.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/grace-in-small-things-

Attribution for the lovely lilac photo



Attribution for Whitman's poem:

When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd by Walt Whitman

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By Walt Whitman

1819-1892

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1



When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom'd,

And the great star early droop'd in the western sky in the night,

I mourn'd, and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring.



Ever-returning spring, trinity sure to me you bring,

Lilac blooming perennial and drooping star in the west,

And thought of him I love.



And so these two elements—rain and lilacs are what April means to me. If you’re out and about, enjoy both but have an umbrella handy!



Sherry Hill