Still, the flowers push through the frost, Though silence reigns, we have not lost. In every bud, a latent dream, The world outside can only seem.

Past seasons whisper through the green, In sheltered corners, life unseen. We hold our breath; await the day, While nature keeps the dark at bay.

Hope’s essence blooms where shadows fade, In daring hearts, the path is laid. Among the petals, truth will sing — In time, the heart will find its spring.

• Philip Larkin