We who with songs beguile your pilgrimage / And swear that Beauty lives though lilies die, / We Poets of the proud old lineage / Who sing to find your hearts, we know not why ... (James Elroy Flecker)

28.6.24

Deep Summer


It is necessary that we in the Southern Hemisphere hold summer’s memories closely to our hearts, or we risk their loss –


those holiday summers,

lazing on the grass

or the sand –


as winter thickens around us,

we crave to keep

that leisurely haze.



A liwuli for FridayWritings #133 at Poets and Storytellers United, inspired by the quote: 'Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.' ~ Sam Keen. (I'm thinking I'll need to rewrite it at some point and take out the reference to Southern Hemisphere, which was just a response to getting a summer prompt in my winter – but what I say really applies whenever the seasons happen in one's own locality.)





22 comments:

  1. Yes, that wonderful feeling! Here, the summers are too hot for grass and lazing...we feel those vibes at the beginning of the monsoon or at the end of the year....cool breezes and love and poetry in the air!

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  2. So much in so few carefully chosen and beautifully crafted words - Jae

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  3. Recent mornings have tested my memory of summer!

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    1. Yes, they would! Even up here in far northern NSW, the nights and mornings now are plenty cold enough for me. (I go to bed wearing not only bedsocks with my winter pyjamas, but also a beanie, woollen scarf, and mittens!)

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    2. Me too....although I have not resorted to the mittens yet. Bloody freezing this year....Keep warm !...Rall

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  4. Jim.hete -- I had to
    Look up.the word, "liwuli". I figured it was form, it was. But it looks hard, d31.syllables in the first of three syllables. I did check you out for that. and it seems hard.
    Seems your seasons are very similar to ours



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    Replies
    1. I find counting syllables tedious rather than hard. But then, I also like the challenge of adhering to any form.

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  5. yes treasure summer for winter is coming. Great write.

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    1. Thank you, Alan. Here in Australia, winter has well and truly arrived!

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  6. We're just beginning to hit those days here. I'm looking forward to enjoying them once I shake loose of COVID.

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    1. COVID is no respecter of seasons! My son in Melbourne is still getting over his latest bout.

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  7. You know, I thought of you after I chose and shared the topic for this week's optional prompt. I almost changed it, then I thought The thoughts might warm her up a bit. I'm glad that I wasn't projecting, because I do love mind-traveling to warmer feels when winter is sipping into my bones.

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    Replies
    1. Do you know, there are people who say they LIKE cold weather? How is it possible?

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  8. And now I seriously want to try the form again! Your poem is beautiful!!!

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  9. Our summer here is very very brief. Hold onto to those summer moments.

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    Replies
    1. Now you make me feel a bit spoilt! I do live in the sub-tropics, so it's all relative really.

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  10. What a beautiful poem, and form this. is!

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    Replies
    1. It IS a lovely form; I should try it more often. And I'm glad you find the poem beautiful too.

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