a year consists of twelve months a month of three ten-day weeks all honor what farm & nature bring Véndemiaire stamps the vintage red Brumaire fog swallows cranberry Frimaire frost crusts the standing weeds no more gods, death to the last king Nivôse snow floats, flurries, drifts Pluviôse proffers rain Ventôse favors wind high regard for weather, water, air Germinal marks the rupture of seed Floréal waves its blossoms Prairial sheep hike to high meadow the earth’s body, the sky’s face Messidor farmers harvest peas Thermidor heat hatches mosquitoes Fructidor fruit swells, sweetens, savors nature, people, tools, reason finally, Les Fêtes Sansculottides five days (in La Franciade, six) when free citizens dance & sing