July; topaz on summer’s diadem
Dazzling creek-banks embellished with wild bloom
A misty, musky, sweet-dusk gilded gem
Co-mingling of both haste and languid plume
The ivy wanders over gate and fence
Enticing us to gardens and sea-shores
A sentimental door of lenience
As dictation of routine softly snores
We linger in cool shadow-haunts and pools
Lulled by the hum of lawn-mowers and such
Like children breaking duty’s rigid rules
We revel now beneath the sultry touch
Of amber noon and amethyst sundown
July; jade jewel on summer’s fair crown
July; strawberry-flavored offering
The burly tones of winter long forgot
As breezes fall beneath the murmuring
Of hazy sighs and hues shimmering, hot
Yet, we embrace the perspiring mid-day
This suffering, not harsh or hard to bear
Our voices drifting, soft and far away
As we fill baskets with ruby-red fare
This is the hour that we hungered for
Of honeybees and strawberry-kissed grins
This is the road that leads to sandy shore
Where the end of our school-year care begins
This is the pinnacle of azure sky
And surging meadowland; this is July
Here summer splurges with sanguine caress
We reach for her; can anyone resist
Her whisper giggling in the poplar-tress
Or crooning in the morning’s purple mist?
Quick raindrops plunk into the silky dust
Where bare-feet dash, seeking timber-lined trail
As we surrender to the wanderlust
Of daisy-field or willow-song regale
Its melody wafting upon the scent
Of fresh-cut grass or clover canticle
The busy noise of our discontent
Relenting to its sweeping spectacle
July; where heat waves ripple placidly
And we, earth’s little people swim its sea
© Janet Martin
We've had a soft start to July, a slow running of hands over wedding plans, a sweet lingering on its shimmering afternoons, and long languid evenings.
