Joy Grows Like a Plant

"Wine
moves the whole springtime,
joy grows like a plant,
walls crumble,
boulders,
abysses close up,
song is born."

Ode to Wine, Pablo Neruda

and it's spring

in Just-
spring     when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame balloonman

whistles     far     and wee

and eddieandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it's
spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful
the queer
old balloonman whistles
far     and     wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it's
spring
and
     the
          goat-footed

balloonMan     whistles
far
and
wee

E.E. Cummings

Photos: Jumilla, Spain, and San Jose del Cabo, Mexico