It takes courage to be crocus-minded (by Kim Crawford Harvie)

It takes courage to be crocus-minded. 

...I'd rather wait until June, 

Like wild roses, 

When the hazards of winter are 

Safely behind and I'm expected, 

And everything's ready for roses. 

But crocuses? 

Highly irregular. 

Knifing up through hard-frozen ground and snow, 

Sticking their necks out 

Because they believe in spring 

And have something personal and emphatic to say about it. 

...I'm not by nature crocus-minded. 

Even when I have studied the 

Situation, and know there 

Are wrongs that need righting, 

Affirmations that need stating, 

And know that my speaking out may offend, 

For it rocks the boat - 

Well, I'd rather wait until June. 

Maybe later things will work themselves out, 

And we won't have to make an issue of it. 

Forgive me. 

Wrongs won't work themselves out. 

Injustices and inequities and hurt 

Don't just dissolve. 

Somebody has to stick their neck out; 

Somebody who 

Cares enough to think through 

And work through 

Hard ground, 

Because they believe 

And they have something personal 

And emphatic to say about it. 

Me - Crocus-minded? 

Could it be that there are 

things that need to be said, 

And I need to say them? 

I pray for courage. Amen