Sweet Summer To-do List

The first few lines from June-chapter...

in this book...

kindled a sweet summer to-do-list...

(already in beautiful motion)

Sample strawberries (or blueberries) and cherries and peas...

Sit in a sauna of sunshine and breeze...

Sample strawberries (or blueberries) and cherries and peas

Sit in a sauna of sunshine and breeze

Wade through cool shade to find the perfect nook

Steep in sweet solace of leaf-song and book

Gather fresh goodness from garden-buffets

Fill bowls and pitchers with flower-bouquets

Find reasons to celebrate simple joys

Rain on the roses, school-free girls and boys

Early sunrises and ling'ring sunsets

Crackling campfires with spark-pirouettes 

Mischievous puppies, and the thrumming beat

Of hummingbird's hover and dashing bare feet

Listen to song-sparrow lyrics, be awed

By timeless beauty of sky, sea and sod

Marvel at treasure tipped from mercy's jars

How counting blessings is like counting stars

Slow down and savour summer's wonder-lust  

Inhale dusk's elixir of dew and dust

Cherish the moments that sparkle and glim

Capture their essence in poem and hymn

Blue-misted skylines and daisy-fringed lanes 

Rooster reveilles and cicada refrains  

Foliage-draped arbour and and trellis-abloom 

With tapestries from a God-threaded loom

 

Stand nose to nose with rose and peony

Pause to be taught by ant and honey-bee     

Don't be embarrassed; have heart-to-heart talks

With zinnias, carrots, lavender, hollyhocks

Where toil midst spoil of seeds planted in spring

Humbles our stance amongst plants, flourishing 

Don't let the frenzy of haste steal the show

Where tides of Heaven-glimpses ebb and flow

Slow down enough to feel kindly content

Before the ballad of summer is spent 

Balance the beckoning of work and play

Drink from the fount God refills every day

With flower-bowers and cloud-dappled deeps 

With summer sighing where the willow weeps

While the child chatters for happiness' sake 

While echoes scatter in childhood's sweet wake 

While cups of gladness overflow with praise

While we thank God for glorious, summer days

My, but sweet summer's joy flows, free-for-all

My, but it kindles a fond/fine madrigal

Where what we do with Measure of Today

Melds into keepsakes to treasure for aye 

My then, how holy summer-moments spill

Lord,  help me slowly to savour each thrill 

Janet Martin