I began this poem on the last day of June
each stanza beginning with 'Sweet Summer'
but, the door closed on June before
I had a chance to completely corral verve into verse
so, instead there was born a sweet July song
with some June-strains woven through it...
a sit-back-and-savour summer-weekend siesta
kind of song!
Happy First Weekend of July 2025!
Sweet July/summer sweeps through living’s rooms
In whispers of wisteria plumes...
In bright bursts of myriad blooms
So lovely to behold...
She tap-dances in drops of rain...
And splashes puddles on the lane...
And waves a wand through fields of grain
Transforming green...
... to gold
Sweet July sighs in grassy bars...
And spills to window-sills in jars
Filled with pleasure unfurled...
She glories in sun-beaming kiss
Grins in lip-smacking berry-bliss...
Sweet July, sets cerulean skies
Above a glimpse of Paradise...
From arbours red with rose...
Sweet July spills a patchwork quilt
Across landscapes,
Sweet July sings in welkin brooks
She steals the dreamer's picture books
Contentment feasts on glorious nooks
Of Glad Reality
Like cornfields flushed with robust stalks
Like the delight of twilight walks
With carefree company ...
Sweet July sweeps through living’s rooms
In whispers of wisteria plumes
In bright bursts of myriad blooms
So lovely to behold
She tap-dances in drops of rain
And splashes shadows on the lane
And waves a wand through fields of grain
Transforming green to gold
Sweet July sighs in grassy bars
She dazzles pastures with dew-stars
And spills to window-sills in jars
Filled with pleasure unfurled
She glories in sun-beaming kiss
Grins in lip-smacking berry-bliss
Whilst comforting what is amiss
In this broken-down world
Sweet July smiles to you and me
From isles where wells of ink flow free
With one-of-a-kind poetry
Only God can compose
From wisp ‘o willow serenade
From cool, beckoning pools of shade
From hues prominently displayed
From arbours red with rose
Sweet July sways in leafy limbs
And plays a plethora of hymns
For July is a fount that brims
With perfect, purest praise
From oriole, song-sparrow, lark
From fireflies, dazzling the dark
From children laughing at the park
Happy for summer days
Sweet July, sets cerulean skies
Above a glimpse of Paradise
She spreads picnics for butterflies
And busy/buzzy honey-bees
She strews ballrooms where bare feet dash
Through childhood's fleeting spark and splash
While we, with echo's dust and ash
Forge precious memories
Sweet July sings in welkin brooks
She steals the dreamer's picture books
Contentment feasts on glorious nooks
Of Glad Reality
Like the friendship of hollyhocks
Like cornfields flushed with robust stalks
Like the delight of twilight walks
With carefree company
Sweet July spills a patchwork quilt
Across landscapes, wildflower-gilt
Wonder erects a temple, built
For worship's awed esteem
The seed begins to burst with fruit
Thrilling the gardener with loot;
Onions, peas, carrots and beet-root
Heaven-on-earth cuisine
Sweet July slips through afternoons
An invisible minstrel, she croons
Ageless, page-less green ballad-tunes
Strummed on ten-thousand strings
She overflows the heart with joys
And meadow-pond with laughing boys
The Belle of Summertime deploys
Happiness fit for kings
Sweet July bids us walk by sight
And taste her fare of pure delight
And satisfy Want’s appetite
With slow and steamy hours
Where no one can afford to make
Less than the most of give and take
Where every day is like a cake
Decorated with flowers
...and dusk is like a getaway
From Duty's Musts of middle-day
Where gardens are a place to pray
And thank-God for July
For fields where farmers reap its hold
For Masterpieces, manifold
As His handiwork is extolled
From land and sea and sky
Janet Martin
The seed begins to burst with fruit
Thrilling the gardener with loot;
Onions, peas, carrots and beet-root...
Heaven-on-earth cuisine...
...and dusk is like a getaway
From Duty's Musts of middle-day
Where gardens are a place to pray
And thank-God for July...
