Pause For Poetry:
Michael Hawkes /77
Spring
A poem by Michael Hawkes
As one looks up through budding leaves
It’s hard to think of poisoned air,
Then dazzled by the blue beyond
It’s hard to entertain despair.
With bluebells blooming at one’s feet
Where yesterday the hoar frost lay,
One can’t imagine global heat
Could damage spring in any way.
As cardinals call with resolution,
Confident they’ll win a mate,
One can’t believe that foul pollution
May clamp and seal the songbird’s fate.
Having seen such fine perfection
Preceded many times before,
One just assumes, without reflection,
It will be so for evermore.
18/5/24 – Hawkes
Feature image: Artur Łuczka on Unsplash
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Michael Hawkes was a cherished poet and contributor whose work enriched the pages of WestmountMag.ca with its sensitivity and depth. Over the years, he entrusted us with a rich body of poems, of which only a portion has yet been published. His passing leaves a profound void, but the poems still to come will continue inspire all who were moved by his voice.
January 20, 2026" />
smart answer to tariffs" />
Thai cauliflower florets" />
legacy with purpose" />
Lewis Avenue" />
resistance and unity" />
Sovereignty Project" />
to be infallible that fail" />
A look at self-confidence" />
Abbott Avenue" />
Flourless Almond Cake" />
for real estate sales" />
authorities must act" />
Michael Hawkes /98" />
looks back at 2025" />
online betting rules?" />
a film by Andrés Livov" />
for its 16th edition" />
Passion fruit meringue verrine" />
playful clownish escapade" />
World rhythms on stage" />
management mistakes" />
Kensington Avenue" />
This poem should make everyone pause and reflect.