The Ides of March have come round again and it’s windy in my little town, as it should be.

I’ve been trying to concoct some generalized meaning for us to take from the otherwise unportending day of almost spring. But all that’s coming to mind, in a literary vein, is a memory of high school. I believe our English class put on scenes of Julius Caesar, with white bedsheets for togas.

I wish I had pictures of that. No doubt we were cute as hell.

The lines of that play which have stuck most clearly in my mind are these I encountered in College:

CASSIUS.
Then, if we lose this battle,
You are contented to be led in triumph
Thorough the streets of Rome?

BRUTUS.
No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble Roman,
That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome;
He bears too great a mind. But this same day
Must end that work the Ides of March begun;
And whether we shall meet again I know not.
Therefore our everlasting farewell take:
For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius!
If we do meet again, why, we shall smile;
If not, why, then this parting was well made.

Those last two lines especially have stayed with me. About 15 years ago, I quoted or paraphrased them to a friend of mine. That was the last time I saw my friend in this world; he died on St. Patrick’s Day 1994, at 30 years of age. He has been missed.

Of course, there was no cause and effect involved. I’m just sayin’ be careful quoting Shakespeare.

Anyway, it is almost Spring, so here’s some poetry from e.e. cummings. And if we do meet … oh never mind.

In Just —

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