I must admit I thought the rhyme "April showers bring May flowers." was used in elementary school to help us learn the months of the year. I was unsure, however, and decided - as usual - to do a little research. I found the following written by Ken Bolt at Feelings and Flowers.

“April showers bring May flowers.” We’ve all heard this rhyme at some point, usually having been taught it at an early age by our parents or teachers. It’s a popular thing to say and hear around the springtime, but one thing you might not know is where the rhyme originated from. It can be traced back to the mid 1500s, although earlier use of “April showers bring May flowers” may have existed.

In 1557 a gentleman by the name of Thomas Tusser compiled a collection of writings he called A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry. In the April Husbandry section he wrote:

Sweet April showers
Do spring May flowers

As you can see, the rhyme was originally a short poem. There is meaning behind the words, as well. “April showers bring May flowers” is a reminder that even the most unpleasant of things, in this case the heavy rains of April, can bring about very enjoyable things indeed – in this case, an abundance of flowers in May. “April showers bring May flowers” is a lesson in patience, and one that remains valid to this day.

Many of life’s greatest things come only to those who wait, and by patiently and happily enduring the clouds and damp of April you can find yourself more easily able to take in the sights and smells of May. After all, it’s easier to love something if you begin with an optimistic outlook! Here’s some more in-depth information about the meaning of “April showers bring May flowers.”

I doubt our elementary teachers went into all this detail. They probably just wrote it on the blackboard and told us to write it down 10 times. I think 10 was some kind of magic number, like a guarantee that if we wrote something down 10 times we would remember it for life. Maybe they were right?