When Crocus Blooms Swollen with warm air From the exhaling breath of the earth, Couldn’t resist. At last, bursting tender smiles To the smiling sun Between bare tree branches. Before vapors crystallize to form dew, Before robins hop with joy, The faces with a fine complexion Full of tender soft smiles Standing in the sunny spot Between tan ugly mulch shreds On the slope below the rock On a cold late winter day. A nature lover anxious to encounter Couldn’t help bending over To leer at, and then observe. His heart swells with gaiety and jocundity When he sees tiny delicate blossoms Between tan ugly mulch shreds On the slope below the rock On a cold late winter day. So exalted to see crocus blossoms That have just opened, The man does nothing but gazes with his heart pounding. *The crocus is one of very early blooming flowers which sprouts from a bulb. From the ground  a slender stem shoots up to bear a tender looking pink or white flowers. There are 80 species of crocus family, mainly centered in Mediterranean region. 1998          Jae Ro	Color of Fall in My Backyard Along with the change of colour in my backyard As fall deepens, When sky gets clear blue And appears much higher, My world get buoyant Like helium filled balloon Intermingled with picturesque characters in fairy tale. In glorious mixture of colour, green, red, yellow, brown, gold, scarlet, . . . I stand by tall grasses Which dance along with pleasant cool breeze. At this moment, I Just become a part of glorious colour Imbued with spirit of nature Late products of nature, grasshopper, locust, monarch butterfly, . . . Still linger around While enjoying a great harvest of fall       When colour of fall is in full swing I just like to be a part of it Only stand alone in the middle of colours.     Jae Ro
Spring Wonder, Golden Daffodils	Sea of Golden Daffodils While driving through The west side field of Morton Arboretum in Lisle Illinois, On a fine day of April Suddenly I was halted by a view of sea, The sea of golden daffodils. An endless field of golden daffodils Spreading all over In front of me, That make gentle golden waves, Fluttering, Nodding To easterly winds. Once bare trees scattered A deserted lonely field covered with snow Turns to a sea of spring wonder, The sea of golden daffodils. Amused, exhilarated In the midst of ecstasy My mundane restless mind, Roam around aimlessly Browsing the field of golden daffodils, That suddenly becomes clear as a blue sky. Nothing is between the field of golden daffodils and me. Everything in my mind is in halt At the sight of the field of golden daffodils.   Jae Ro
Pink Magnolia   When an April shower falls on the magnolia tree Pink blush flower buds sprout Silently overnight Coming along with golden finches. Demure as a pretty young girl's face Flushing the face with pink tint.   When an April shower drops on the magnolia tree Pink radiating flowers flourish Quietly overnight Bringing along with golden daffodils. Shy as a wholesome young girl's complexion Flushing the face with pink hue.     *The magnolia family, Magnoliaceae has 10 genera and 100 species which grow in temperate and tropical regions. 11 native tree species in north America. All are woody trees or shrubs with simple alternate leaves and large bisexual flowers. The flowers appear before the leaves.       1998	May That glorious magnolias wither away As pink crab apple blossoms flourish. Mourning doves are wailing sad As if mourning withering wrinkled fallen flower leaves That once had glorious appearance on the tree stems All flowers are destined to wither But new flowers will follow to bloom. As time passes Glorious magnolia will bloom again next year. Soon as crab apple blossoms fade away A wonderful summer season will begin Blooming everywhere with beautiful flowers So that all can praise glorious nature. Now I have learned how to take Glory of nature That will change constantly with time. ‘Cause I know the nature will cycle back Bringing new lives and new glories. 1999 Jae Ro