deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

March and Lent and we march along on our spiritual journeys

As winter lingers and the world looks older and duller

And then the mailman brings the spring seed catalogue from Gurney’s And suddenly there is life and audacious color

And excitement rivaling Times Square or Las Vegas—

Blue Lake, Early Fortune, King of the Garden beans, Stunning onions, phenomenal fennel, and big brutes of rutabagas,

And the beet that can’t be beat: the extra-early Ruby Queens. And O the tomatoes! The vegetable of pure joy!

From tasteless store-bought stuff, deliver us! The Crimson Defender, and Pink Delight, and Big Boy,

And the Beef Eater—the tomato carnivorous. Lord, whose wisdom is all encompassing, whose word is ever valid, Give me one more summer, at least until July, when we’ll have salad.

Garrison Keillor

(Spring 3 from Brisk Verse)