Rural Summer Mural

Halo of mist on a morn half-awake

Lowing of cattle-beast wafts on the air

Gentle, so gentle, is rural daybreak

Echo of Eden and God walking there

Raindrops on roses, far hills, baby-blue

Heaven lends earth little glimpses, oh my

Meadow-sweeps dazzle with diamonds of dew

Beauty unstoppers a flask held sky-high

Hearty and humble, each task close at hand

Laundry-lines laden with cotton ballet

Coffers of sun-gold spill over the land

Rousing aroma of alfalfa-hay

Happy hens clucking a laid-an-egg boast

Red rooster fluffing his look-at-me strut

Fresh coffee fragrance, berry jam on toast

Life leaves so little to rankle with ‘but’

Somewhere a violinist, soft and slow

Across an ocean of barley and wheat

Touches its tawny timbre with a bow

Stirring a ballad of dust, sultry-sweet

Pink portulaca in pots on a porch

Lazy dog lolls on the cool of the floor

Screen door slaps languidly, noon lights a torch

Garden-gifts gathered for lunch and much more

Purple coneflowers play a petal hymn

Maple-tree awning spawns sit-a-spell shade

Buzz of cicada tunes afternoon’s limb

Simple siesta of cold lemonade

Twilight delivers rose-gold lullaby

Highlighting shivers of leaf on the air

Gentle, so gentle, rural eventide

Echo of Eden and God walking there

© Janet Martin