Wait 'til May

Anne in Doorway (1974)
Portrait of American Poet Anne Porter (b 1911)
painted by her husband
American artist, Fairfield Porter (1907 – 1975)
Another Sarah
for Christopher Smart

When winter was half over
God sent three angels to the apple tree
Who said to her
"Be glad, you little rack
Of empty sticks,
Because you have been chosen.

In May you will become
A wave of living sweetness
A nation of white petals
A dynasty of apples."

poem by American Poet, Anne Porter, b. 1911

from her book Living Things: The Collected Poems (2006)

also author of An Altogether Different Language
National Book Award Finalist (1994)

Apple Branch (1973)
by Fairfield Porter
Background from Genesis:

"Abraham . . . sat in the tent door in the heat of the day . . . and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away . . . Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts . . . And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. . . .

And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. And [they] said . . . lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. . . . [and she] laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son" (Genesis 18: 1 14).

See also:

my previous posts on Christopher Smart:
Little Tigers in the House (February 19, 2010)
My Cat Jeoffry (October 8, 2010)

and another blogger's thoughtful post on Anne Porter

Remember to google carefully, as there appear to be a few websites confusing poet Anne Porter ( 1911 - ) with the short - story writer, Katherine Anne (Callie Russell) Porter (1890 - 1980).

Apple Blossoms II (1974)
by Fairfield Porter