On June 21st we celebrated the summer solstice. In honor of this day let us reflect on how to enjoy these summer days.
In
Summer Time Paul Laurence Dunbar -
1872-1906
When summer time has come, and all
The
world is in the magic thrall
Of
perfumed airs that lull each sense
To
fits of drowsy indolence;
When
skies are deepest blue above,
And
flow'rs aflush,—then most I love
To
start, while early dews are damp,
And
wend my way in woodland tramp
Where
forests rustle, tree on tree,
And
sing their silent songs to me;
Where
pathways meet and pathways part,—
To
walk with Nature heart by heart,
Till
wearied out at last I lie
Where
some sweet stream steals singing by
A
mossy bank; where violets vie
In
color with the summer sky,—
Or
take my rod and line and hook,
And
wander to some darkling brook,
Where
all day long the willows dream,
And
idly droop to kiss the stream,
And
there to loll from morn till night—
Unheeding
nibble, run, or bite—
Just
for the joy of being there
And
drinking in the summer air,
The
summer sounds, and summer sights,
That
set a restless mind to rights
When
grief and pain and raging doubt
Of
men and creeds have worn it out;
The
birds' song and the water's drone,
The
humming bee's low monotone,
The
murmur of the passing breeze,
And
all the sounds akin to these,
That
make a man in summertime
Feel
only fit for rest and rhyme.
Joy
springs all radiant in my breast;
Though
pauper poor, than king more blest,
The
tide beats in my soul so strong
That
happiness breaks forth in song,
And
rings aloud the welkin blue
With
all the songs I ever knew.
O
time of rapture! time of song!
How
swiftly glide thy days along
Adown
the current of the years,
Above
the rocks of grief and tears!
'Tis
wealth enough of joy for me
In
summertime to simply be.
This poem is in the public domain
.
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