What did the Groundhog See?

I forgot about Groundhog Day this year.

Maybe you did too.

I’ve never cared for it much, but I always noticed.

Someone bringing it up in conversation,

Or a word on the radio about what the groundhog did, about what it meant.

And I always thought it funny that based on whether or not an animal sees his shadow,

people will believe it determines the arrival of spring.

Do you believe that?

It’s odd to think that these days, despite the frozen snow and the frozen life of the usually

bustling streets,

The time that feels paused (hibernating, caught in the dead of winter itself)

caught in a world that just needs some extra space,

A world where we take any excuse to celebrate,

to drink in honour of who knows what holiday,

I somehow missed the most meaningless one of all.

So, what did the groundhog see?

His shadow of course;

Six more weeks of winter.

But I checked the calendar and a month has passed.

Which means two weeks left.

I bought tulips, white ones, hoping it encourages the sun to come out and shine a little longer.

Long enough for it to tickle my skin and sprinkle it with freckles

Long enough so that when work days are done,

we can walk in each other's company for a little while,

And a little longer everyday, so that it can thaw the icicles formed on rooftops,

(the frozen teeth fighting the sun to keep the cold days coming)

I hope the sun sees my tulips and cries out to the buds and bulbs hidden under the earth

to remind them that spring is on its way

and that after spring comes summer.

These two weeks will turn to four,

(It’s always longer)

and even when everything thaws, time will stand oddly still

but the sun will make that stillness worthwhile.

And we can bask in it, instead of waiting patiently (or impatiently) for something else.

By Lila Ciesielski