A Dreamer Looks At August
And now is the month for hiding away.
The heat rises long before we do and places a wet hand on our doors and our windows, ensuring that we stay inside.
The tea is iced now.
The flowers are gold.
This is the month to explore old ideas like an archaeologist, carefully dusting them off, holding them up to the light, deciding which ones are priceless, which ones can be tossed over our shoulders, back into July.
It is now when it all falls away - the worrisome schedules, the tiresome work - and we simply drift like toy boats on a pond.
A hot sun shines its spotlight upon our closed eyelids, creating vivid pictures only we can see, swirls of inchoate versions of our future selves dancing in the orange light.
While our minds are still we gather up all the goodness forged from the earlier months of the year, and polish it till it gleams.
We shall hold it in our hearts as the summer closes.
We shall hold it in our hearts as the summer closes.
In September we shall burst forth like the asters - colourful and brave,
replete with clean hope for the cold days to come.
Hello Pamela:
ReplyDeleteHow beautifully you capture here the heat that is High Summer and its attendant lethargy. And, how wonderful we feel, as you write here, that idleness is. Time for everyone as everything stands still and time to simply be. May your August be joyous!
Ah, the dog days of August (sorry, Edward, but, you know what I mean). It was a chore just to water the plants this morning - and I'm one who enjoys watering, but, not this day of high nineties and higher humidity. Here's to September's gold!
ReplyDeleteDear Pamela,
ReplyDeleteIt was our daughter's 30th birthday yesterday and she is celebrating in Paris !! Temperatures have been in the 80's here in London and in Paris. Blue skies, cornfields and a little lethergy....that's how I think of August. XXXX
I like how we can toss unwanted ideas back into July... I wonder if we can toss tasks I don't want to do ahead to September and find them finished when we get there? Its worth a try, what do you think?
ReplyDeleteDear Pam and Ed.
ReplyDeleteThe days in Maine are wonderfull, been working in the year, cutting back trees and bushes. You write so beautifully.
Give a hug to your little man Ed. Sure miss my Thor.
yvonne
Oh how I wish my August was as calm and bright as you describe. But alas, thunder is clapping its brutal hands outside my window. Rain is pouring down upon my house, and clouds are obscuring any last looks I could have had at the setting sun. And how I wish now could be my time to explore and rediscover old ideas, but now is my final opportunity to finish my unfair and lengthy homework assignment. I am going into 8th grade and I must make a good first impression, so as rain pelts my house I must finish my already 2,2042 word project. But, I shall now stop complaining of my woes and now I will wish you many warm days of iced tea, gleaming ideas, and sweet dreams of a colorful future.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures you paint with words rival the pictures with paint you share.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful thoughts, poetically craftd together and a delight to read.
ReplyDeleteLove the way you turn a phrase.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful ode to summer . Hope you and Edward have been missing the heat that seems to have settled over so much of the US.
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful piece of writing, filled with images of hot still summers - even though its winter where I live - for a few moments I was experiencing the joy of summer in all it's glory, as I anticipate the beginning of spring in a few weeks time.
ReplyDeleteAsters Pamela - haven't seen any for years but you are right - they are a flower of Autumn with their rich, garish colours - I love them - thank you for reminding me.
ReplyDeleteMight you join in my summer reading blog today - I do hope so as I am sure we would have similar taste in reading.
Ah, lovely. I only wish our August was so predictable! But we have autumn days mixed in with summer, and even the occasional cold spring day too. One rarely knows what one will wake up to here on our temperate isle.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of being cocooned away from the heat and looking inwards, of drifting towards more pleasant weather.
...and August is the last blast of summer fun for educators as we grasp each fleeting day, to squeeze each sultry but memorable moment before the prescribed and tension filled days of school rush in like that first winter chill...what lovely words my dear. Let us sip that iced tea with a smile, knowing that summer slowly will come back into our lives once again.
ReplyDeleteHELLO EDWARD! Anita
A lovely read plus Mucha - thank you.
ReplyDeleteI love this post: both the poetic imagery and the message. That archaeology resonates. Nicely said!
ReplyDeleteI like the thought of tossing some ideas back into July. It'll free up just a little more time to enjoy August.
ReplyDelete