Whether I was a child or the sage adult I grew to be, summer always brought summer camp with hikes, dances, competitions, long evenings of songs and secrets daily bus rides with bumps and jolts and everyone piling on then scrambling off ball games with hot dogs, a trusted mitt nearby for that foul ball, waves among the crowd Bustling and jostling against others were part of life. Now I cherish calm rituals with a few loved ones, even as we slowly emerge from behind our masks. I have changed, content with my smaller yet deeper world still connected with others when I see them with softer eyes. Summer is beautiful, but it has transformed for me.
“I have changed, content with my smaller yet deeper world
still connected with others when I see them with softer eyes.”
And I truly welcome the change. Nice connection for me. Thank you.
I feel the same way.. and Kat has said it well.
I mean Jan has said it well….
No worries at all! We are “meeting” so many people from afar; a few names will change along the way. (smile) Thank you for you commentary. I’m going to return and wordsmith this, but it is good many can relate.
you actually summed it up for all of us.. i think this was a general takeaway for many.. and thank you for painting such a vivid picture of the summer.. well done
Thank you very much! Reading this to people at home, I heard some more memories, and VJ (from here) referenced baseball. In returning to this poem, I can add more examples while wordsmithing a bit, too.
Jan, immediately brings back memories- beautiful. I can see, feel, hear, smell and taste summer here. Many times we don’t realize we are having the happiest days of our life as we are having them- looking back and reading all these wonderful poems now the only regret I have is that i could not experience it more than once per year. Playball!
Thank you! The summers just before the pandemic were all about slowing down, exploring my city, and “wearing out my summer clothes” and I honestly felt like I was growing younger. * * * I like your last reference and may add baseball when I return to this. Are you a storyteller? That phrase “. . . we don’t realize we are having the happiest days of our life as we are having them. . . .” is a recurring them from my smaller group of “Storytellers for Change.”
I cherish calm rituals with a few loved ones seems dramatic the word rituals to describe summer
I liked the variety I found my self imagining being in summer camp
Very unique style of writing I loved this poem Jan Rog
Thank you very much, Sabinah!
‘Gathering has so much resonance !
‘Summer is beautiful, but it has transformed for me’.
Awesome style of writing – I resonate with the themes here.
Thank you very much. I may consider this as one of my two submissions.
Yea, please do and best wishes!