I’ve dedicated a writing experiment to the idea of spring before (No. 17: O, Just-spring!), but today is (YAY!) officially the first day of spring. It’s also World Poetry Day, and apparently yesterday was the International Day of Happiness (DOUBLE YAY! you might want to check out this clip of the programme director of the Gross National Happiness Centre in Bhutan when he spoke at Naropa recently).

So for this week’s writing experiment: write a happy poem about spring.

By the way, you’ll notice the picture of the daffodils above has some tumbling-down wire fencing separating that pretty strip of daffs from a very busy West London dual carriageway. But that strip of daffs is very pretty indeed, and thriving. Which just goes to show glasses can be half full, or quarter full even, when spring is in the air. (Unless you’re a miserable bastard, and next month is for you too the cruellest month …)

As an alternative, create your own special Day commemorating whatever special purpose, and either write about that, or write a short story or scene/chapter that is set on that day.

Whichever one you do, go pick a bunch of daffs, or buy one, and stick it in a vase on your desk while you’re writing. Or do this sitting on a park bench, enjoying spring’s promise.