Lithuania. Kiauna river. March 13, 2011

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. First it starts a quiet lullaby when finally wakes up after a long wintry sleep. Perhaps flowing streams are that very beginning where spring softly touches the strings and thus starts its gradually increasing feast of poetry. “Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.” (Rainer Maria Rilke)

Indeed, according to W. Earl Hall, “Science has never drummed up quite as effective a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day.” Spring is like a little child. Go on the little one, go on and grow… Neither the point where spring arrives nor turns a summer is visible. All these are very fragile and uncertain periods. But “The seasons are what a symphony ought to be: four perfect movements in harmony with each other.” Arthur Rubenstein

The word ‘March’ comes from the Roman ‘Martius’. This was originally the first month of the Roman calendar and was named after Mars, the god of war. March was the beginning of our calendar year. We changed to the ‘New Style’ or ’Gregorian calendar in 1752, and it is only since then when we the year began on 1st January.

March is the month of expectation,
The things we do not know,
The Persons of Prognostication
Are coming now.
We try to sham becoming firmness,
But pompous joy
Betrays us, as his first betrothal
Betrays a boy.
Emily Dickinson, XLVIII