Put Away Summer

Gold cherry
Poem of the week

By Jane Hyphen

Sun, 30 Sep 2018
  • 5201 reads
18 comments
 

 

Put away summer

Cast a veil upon the sun

Know tiredness, sleep away.

Wind-withered leaves cannot

Hold on as birds no longer

Aim the candor of their song

But relay drifting notes.

 

Launder in the chill of

The stainless morning air

As petals fade and fray

There is a place to hide

In soft hazes to dream

Now that expectant gaze

Has burned itself away.

 

Bless the limits of a year

And quieten in the fold

Before the winter holds

You under in the dark.

Know again this lap, pause

To catch your breath

Among the handsome blaze

Of the broiling season’s wake.

 

Put away summer

Seal the songs and colours

In a box, to leaven

Through a count of unlit days

Enough to almost bring despair

Until once again to burst

Like so many gone before.

 

 

Certificate U
Poem

Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Beautiful poem Jane,

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thanks Jenny, that's how it feels now that the nights have turned so cold. At least the sun is still shining.

 

Submitted by D Marie on

Magical meloncholy x

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Hi Dogstails tahnks for reading and commenting. There is certainly magic in our weather.

 

Submitted by HarryC on

This captures how I'm feeling myself, Jane.  I love this time of year... but I miss the summer, too.  I especially liked the final stanza:

Put away summer

Seal the songs and colours

In a box, to leaven

Through a count of unlit days

Enough to almost bring despair

Until once again to burst

Like so many gone before.

'Almost' bring despair.  Yes.  But the promise is still there.

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thanks Harry. It's been a strange year but no-one can say we haven't had a summer. Right now it's lovely but for me November is the worst month, that's when I will be despairing.

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thanks Rosa, yes it feels as if the best times of the year are finished and now it's the dark slope to the end of the year.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I too enjoyed your turn-of-the-season pause, Jane. There can be time for sleep and reflection, can't there after all the bustle. But I noticed your comment above about November, and looked back at that month in the series I did on all the months and noticed your comment –

Really enjoyable and uplifting Rhiannon, making sense of the gloom, my least favourite month but you made it more beautiful. https://www.abctales.com/story/rhiannonw/november

! Rhiannon

 

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thanks Rhiannon, remembering that, you are truly a teacher. I certainly feel as if I need an extra two hours sleep each night at the moment.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This reflective piece which marks the change of seasons so beautifully is our Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day

Please share/retweet if you enjoyed it as much as I did

Picture Credit: https://tinyurl.com/y9lh9ldh

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thanks for this Insertsmiley

 

Submitted by archergirl on

This is a stunning poem. I have borrowed it (with full acknowledgement and credit to you, Jane Hyphen, and to ABCtales) as an elegy on my Farcebonk page. A friend, not yet 50, died suddenly and unexpectedly, two days ago, and this poem perfectly captures for me the melancholia of passing time and changing seasons, and the hope of spring after a long dark winter. It is, honestly, one of the loveliest poems I've read, and I've read a lot. I hope you won't mind, but please let me know if you do and I will take it down immediately. It's so beautiful. x

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Of course I don't mind, that's really lovely to know. I'm very sorry about your friend's sudden death.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

these lines are scary, claustrophobic like Winter is trying to drown you:

"Before the winter holds

You under in the dark."

and then "burst" makes me think of pushing your head up, out of the water, being able to breathe again.

My garden feels like this now, won't get sunlight any more till April. So it's like leaves bursting out, too

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Hi Di_Hard yes it almost feels as if winter does try to drown you, in darkness at least. All those spring buds are already formed just waiting dormant until those cold, dark months have passed. Thanks for your comment.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This is our Poem of the Week - Congratulations!

 

Submitted by celticman on

Put away summer has that omnious feeling. I guess it's that time again. I always get it when I look out the window and watch the firework display on 5th November. This is a litle wordsmith display as forewarming. well done. 

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thanks celticman, there is something ominous about winter, for me it's the darkness more than the cold although combined they are savage. And thank You for Poem of the Week.