First Shoots of Spring
—a poem by Howie Good

First Shoots of Spring

1
Blood-crazed warriors
in weird green headdresses
leap out of the dark past.

2
Pushing again
and again,
just the very,
very tips
emerge,

knife-points
so small
they’d be easy
to overlook

even though
tinged red

like old
and slightly rusted
heartaches.


_
Howie Good is a journalism professor at SUNY New Paltz, the author of five poetry collections, and a Contributing Editor for The Commonline Journal. His most recent book is Cryptic Endearments from Knives Forks & Spoons Press. Other books include Elephant Gun from Dog on a Chain Press, Strange Roads from Puddles of Sky Press, and Death of Me from Pig Ear Press. His poetry has been nominated multiple times for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net anthology. Access his blog Apocalypse Mambo.