Bonus: Beginning Poetry - Summer

Rules:

Unleash your inner poet. Give us your best poem about summer, in (almost) any format, up to 250 words.

The rules for this contest are thus: Write an original poem. It can be a sonnet, sestina, free-verse, or (almost) any format you choose, but it must be your own work. Two verse minimum, with a word limit of 250 words, so write no more than that.

Hit List: Haikus, Limmericks. Use them and be disqualified.

Keep in mind that profanity is not acceptable. All entries must be in accordance with our text rules and guidelines. As always, quality is a must. You will have 10 days for this contest, so make your submission count.


Word limit: 250 words.

Entries:

Summer of '99

Do you remember the summer of ’99,
And how the time has flown,
Thirteen years old we ruled our lives,
Our destinies our own,
Baseball games and water slides,
Grand slams and broken toes,
These precious memories fill my mind,
Do you remember the summer of ’99?

Do you remember, when we felt brave,
And wondered far from home,
Went hiking down through ‘Dead Man’s Cave’,
To conquer the unknown,
Then Kevin slipped and hurt his leg,
His knee was nearly blown,
That poor guy, he cried all day,
We laughed all the way home.

Do you remember, when we were fools,
As we would often be,
Looking for love at the city pool,
Our hearts worn on our sleeve,
Then Michael went and broke the rules,
Though harmless as could be,
He sank chocolate bars in the swimming pool,
That place was closed all week.

Do you remember when I moved away?
The week before ninth grade,
How we made plans so I could stay,
In the tree house where we played,
Late one night, Mike brought my plate,
Full of sandwiches he’d made,
We were both spotted, plain as day,
He volunteered to take the blame.

I remember the summer of ’99,
And I think of how I’ve grown,
Twenty-one, with child and wife,
And a place to call our own,
Riding bikes and catching fire-flies,
Bottle rockets, skipping stones,
These precious moments fill my life,
As we live a summer all our own.

Word count: 246


In the Garden

In the garden, lush greens grow
Strangling frail buds as they show
Life and colour. Left unmanned
How long can young sprouts withstand
The harsh woven creeping foe?

With murmurs, sighs and shadow
Scentless heads sway in sorrow
Yearning for a caring hand
In the garden.

Decaying bench and barrow,
Strewed rocks witness their fellow
Weeds inching their course unplanned.
A friend’s creative touch and
Balance imposed à nouveau
In the garden.

*****
A Rondeau is 15 lines long, consisting of three stanzas: a quintet, a quatrain, and a sestet with a rhyme scheme as follows: aabba aabR aabbaR. Lines 9 and 15 are short - a refrain (R) consisting of a phrase taken from line one. The other lines are longer (but all of the same metrical length).

Word count: 127


Blossom

Languid ladies lounging,
Long, lithe and lovely.
Sipping sweet Snapple;
basking bronze beauties.

Sweat beads burst through sweet oil,
inching achingly over and down
supple and succulent skin,
Finally fully fabric free.

Fine feminine flesh flower;
Perfect pearly petals, patinaed peach;
Twinkling tinted toenails touching,
Stamens seeking insemination -

On the second tallest roof in town.
Excellent view,
          For all.

Word count: 59


The Apartment Dwellers

An orchestra of air conditioners plays an evening serenade,
As the warmth of the night air lingers.
Fans strategically placed throughout rooms,
And blankets tossed about on the floor.
We lie awake, restless, while dehydration sets in;
Without a single breeze to bring us comfort.
Lights flicker on and off, as sleepless beings drift in and out,
In search of some relief.
But alas there are the “others”;
Those with the costly chill that blows through the night.
The ones who make us green with envy,
As they sleep ever so soundly.
Overcome with temptation, we surrender to the box on the wall;
Perhaps the bill will be worth the solace.
This summertime charade is all too common to us…
…The apartment dwellers.

Word count: 123


All Around Us

A sun that shines may only mean
the passing of what once was
the bringing of what is to be
the welcoming of what is
All around us

A warmth and comfort known to those who
see in music vibrant
dance in color fluid
feel in visions vivid
All around us

A perfect time for
rest in moments quiet
lay in hours peaceful
sleep in arms wrapped
All around us

Now a darkness left for dreams of
passing of what once was
dance of color fluid
sleep in arms wrapped
All around me

Word count: 93


Summer Day

A radical sun wakes me up from my obsolete artic dreams
And let me hold the green plain lawn preserving the perfume of life
Spread through the fields of naked feet looking for a noble freedom
Flirting with flowers dressed in their mystical colors and shouting salutes
While dormant pale skins sense the arrival of a liquid festival
And pupils burst in excitement while water drops strike the children
Disorganized smiles travel in the air inviting to play with a shy season
Sweating limbs are their answer, lost in the mass of happiness
Spicy scents surround the joyful grills singing cooking melodies
Dancing pets knitting fellowship with their cheerful masters
And when the day prepares its nostalgic exodus
My impetuous heart daydreams with the next adventurous day

Word count: 127


Halcyon Days

When the flowers dance
and winds caress.
The bees fly free
and trees are dressed,
ready to shade and
relieve from stress
Halcyon days are here to stay

Jasmine and Honeysuckle
Come out for the day,
Impregnating the air
To keep fall at bay;
Halcyon days are here to stay.

The setting sun
Goes down for the day;
And the summer fires
Come out to play,
Halcyon days are here to stay...

Word count: 72


Northumberland

Winding lanes weave slowly through
this land of every coloured hue
grasses jealously guard the roadside
letting wild flowers burst with pride

Trees bow gently as I pass
below like an eager child
to see what is round the next corner
as the countryside slowly unwinds

And in a distant cornfield
lie the makings of summer hay
Farmers toiling long in the fields
on this glorious summer day

Life goes on in Northumberland
as it has for centuries past
let no one be in any doubt
it must remain steadfast

Unspoilt for now, long may it be so
let it’s beauty and peace always be
perpetually untouched by urban sprawl
Northumberland - be forever free!

My heart aches for this wondrous place
when I am no longer here
I’m not complete when I leave her behind
and I always shed a tear

This perfect well kept secret
this balm to soothe the soul
this free and open landscape
I want to call my own

For this is where I want to be
here, and nowhere else
Northumberland is my paradise
And where I take my rest

Northumberland, this precious jewel
Set deep in England’s county crown


© Silver Sapphire 110108

Word count: 198


Sensing Summer

Light, all around, fills my skin,
Turning it browner than before.
Fluttering wings fly above,
As I watch how the birds soar.

I continue to lay right here,
On the golden grains of sand.
Hearing the whooshing of water,
Curling and hitting the land.

Up above there are no clouds,
Just a covering blue beam.
A familiar smell whisks past,
Must be milkshakes and ice-cream!

This is summer at the beach,
Feels like it was made just for me.
Always summer to make me feel
Like I am totally free!

Word count: 90


Summer Time

Watch as the bee flutters through the grass,
And stop to smell the roses as you pass.
Gaze upon the serene fields
With awe from the tranquility it wields.

Everyone enjoys this time of year
Because the skies seem so crisp and clear.
Witness as a beaver silently steals bark from a tree;
While a young child skips through the grass with glee.

Observe the rays of sun throughout the skies.
It seems surreal to view this sight with my weary eyes.
This season could put a smile on anyone’s face;
Even though, the world seems to runs at a faster pace.

Word count: 102


Subtleties of Summer

Upon walking outside, I condensate.
The heat is spiking at an alarming rate.
This can only mean that summer is here,
Bring on the bathing suits! Don’t forget the beer!

The demand for water is on the rise.
Go on and pull out the Slip and Slide.
Oh wait! Too late, we forgot to check the underside!
That’s too bad for the kids. What a painful ride.

While we’re at it lets go for a swim.
In our own backyard spied on by the neighbor, Tim.
Oh no! You forgot to rinse off your feet.
Now there is grass in here with me!

The sun is down, the mosquitoes are biting,
School’s out for summer so the kids are fighting.
So relax, unwind and kick up your feet.
Lets jack up the AC and beat the heat.

Word count: 137


Summer Bummer

The sun is blazing and so is the heat
The car park packed with old Kombi’s,
The sticky tar hurts as it burns my feet
Tanned grannies lay still like dead zombies.

Melting ice cream and sticky fingers,
Sand castles, buckets and spades,
The flies like the heat still lingers
I head quickly for the waves.

Reaching the sand I feel no better,
My burning souls need cool water,
Relief sinks in as I get wetter
Then I spot my neighbour’s daughter.

She blushes and stares straight at me
Her beauty an intoxicating trance,
She gracefully slices through the sea
And flashes me an alluring glance.

In this light the water glimmers
A wave rises up to block the sun,
It rips off my loose swimmers
Revealing my pale and pasty white bum.

As I stand there shocked and completely nude
My face turning a little whiter,
I learn a lesson I will share with you
Tie your swimmer chords tighter.

Word count: 161