A view from under the pew — March 20

The coming of spring caught Amos somewhat off guard this year. He was still anticipating snowstorms that never came when the first wildflower poked its multicolored head out of the ground. Though amazed at the sight, Amos went on his way without taking much notice. So spring sprang on him by surprise. He stumbled into it the other day when he met Robin Redjoy.

amos on spring

boss this has been a dull

dreary week even the

sun didn t want to come

out and play until

the other day

i was down and

out boss - lower than

a caterpillar s

belly

nothing could cheer me

up not even peanut

butter and jelly

then along came robin

singing like the entire

london philharmonic

orchestra

his voice - in place

of his reputation -

preceded him

it was pure

unadulterated

high-spirited joy boss

and it grated on

my misery

solomon once wrote

in proverbs - as he

that taketh away a

garment in cold weather

and as vinegar upon

nitre so is he that

singeth songs to an

heavy heart - i knew

what the man was

talking about boss

robin was pouring

vinegar on my nitre -

whatever that is

but before i could

either grump or

quote scripture to

him boss mopey

molerus - the downcast

and despondent mole -

you remember him boss

he s the lowest mole

on the totem pole

in the bottom hole

anywhere around

anyway mopey pushed

his head out of the

ground and looked

everywhere around

and said what s all

this i ve never been

here before

where s the dirt maybe

i m at the earth s core

robin redjoy though

was halfway through

the hallelujah chorus

boss singing the

joys of spring

with a cheerful heart

it was beginning

to become a bit

contagious even

in spite of my

stubbornness

how dull life is said

mopey mole

this world is just a

dirty hole

i eat i dig and i store

and all i find is a bore

robin sang high in

the blue -

how sweet is the

morning dew

how clear the brooks

how fair the flowers

i rejoice in this

world of ours

mopey asked what s this

chirp-and-shout

tell me what s all the

fuss about

o the sunshine and the

pine trees

the green grass white clouds

and blue seas

spring said robin in his

big oak tree

gives to the world such

grace and beauty

nonsense said mopey the

molerus i ve lived in this

world more than youse -

tunneled it and traveled

through it -

i ve sniffed snorted smelled

and chewed it - and i tell ya

there ain t nothing to it

cept great big gobby

fishing worms through it

boss it just goes to

show you how a fella s

perspective can color

his whole world

amos