Impossibly hepatica
splits stones into patches
of pale purple flower
to interrupt leaf litter
between jagged rock.
Further along,
the dark spathe
of skunk cabbage
makes its own heat
to emerge from
cold muck. Here
it is almost possible to
believe the first signs,
if you still know
how to read the path
into spring.
Charlotte Melin
Charlotte Melin, a retired professor, lives in Northfield, Minnesota and has pivoted to writing poetry. She has published widely about German poetry, teaching, and the environmental humanities. Her poetry chapbook A Time of Waiting is forthcoming from Finishing Line Press in Spring 2026.