23 June 2015

Summer Solstice



Heat enters on the longest day, squats
and belches its pleasure at green and humid
lushness.  Heat smacks its lips sipping nectar
under drowsy bees weighted with pollen
golden as sun peeking around dark clouds.

The rain is dangerous relief.  Lightning
and thunder chase birds and heat across grasses
pounded flat and pebbled driveways parted
into rivulets and pocked with hail stones.

Later, in post-storm quiet, cool freshness
embraces skin, delights flaring nostrils
and invites mouths and petals to swallow.

Leaning into the aftermath, night bright
as day and short as possible, follows.




Copyright © 2015  S.L.Chast

20 comments:

  1. I can feel the heat and enjoy the squatting and belching, LOL.......we long for rain here - everything is burnt to a crisp already.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That first stanza is so vivid! As good as a description of the summer heat as I've read.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Personally I love summer storms, walking in the rain with welcome teardrops running down my cheeks. The sun and clouds laughing at us.This poem of yours reminding me of Greek gods in drunken revelry.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Later, in post-storm quiet, cool freshness
    embraces skin, delights flaring nostrils
    and invites mouths and petals to swallow.

    Indeed, the storm comes as a relief after the scorching heat! Beautifully executed :D

    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

    ReplyDelete
  5. So many beautiful - and funny - images here...i love the personification..post storm freshness is indeed sweet as petals :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Summer storms are wonderful. I am envious . Liked the second stanza with the rivulets and hail stones. Very evocative.

    ReplyDelete
  7. delights flaring nostrils - Love that, really captures the power and wonder of summer

    ReplyDelete
  8. ah...this heat, rain, coolness really gives a fresh lease of life and they do seem to be made of beauty...love all the images so beautifully sketched....

    ReplyDelete
  9. I like the image of (dangerous?) heat smacking its lips sipping nectar...during the time I would guess the world is crying for relief. And then relief is found in those dangerous storms, storms like we had two days ago here. That lightning and thunder gives welcome relief, but the relief is fraught with its own danger. Vivid word pictures here, Susan.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love this write, you captured summer perfectly.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love the play of vivid characters you created in your poem... heat ' squats
    and belches' , 'Lightning
    and thunder chase birds and heat across grasses' ...I think we're blessed to swallow such delight! :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. aggressive personification of 'heat' with intense dramatic effects..your dramatic gift excels in poetic expressions creating harsh imagery at times..in squat' and belch' striking the reader powerfully..one is suddenly taken aback by the action..a strong poem reflecting the severity of heat' the winters seem more favourable...

    ReplyDelete
  13. I like mild storms as much as i like your poem. They seem to bring such cleansing and peace. I hope nature balances out soon and allows rain where it's most needed.

    ReplyDelete
  14. it really carries the moods of climate change...I loved the second para.....it is so lively...

    ReplyDelete
  15. Loved the way you wrote this...Susan. ....it just flows when you write..:) Liked many of the lines but this one stood out
    "....in post-storm quiet, cool freshness
    embraces skin, delights flaring nostrils
    and invites mouths and petals to swallow."-- Ah, I feel that 'cool freshness' ..Monsoon rains bring relief after the brutal heatwave here.
    Remarkable peace...powerful expressions!! Oh, I loved this one. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  16. Such a gorgeous poem! I can feel it all.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Very invoking, I feel hot just reading the first stanza.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hey Susan, this is another side of summer and I agree with everything you wrote. The summer rain is as dangerous as it can be when its thunderous roars visit occasionally during a week or day in June, July, and August. I love the visuals!!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I enjoy the great contrasts and transitions built into this poem, Susan! Thank you for the challenge. :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. I liked the personification of heat and the depiction of the Summer storm, which bring the poem to a climax, Susan. The longest day and shortest night are worked in really well. I enjoyed this one a lot!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting my blog!