"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the blue sky, is by no means a waste of time." ~John Lubbock, "Recreation," The Use of Life , 1894
Summer
by
H.P. Nichols
This summer, I know by the blue of the sky;
By the trees' deeper green, as beneath them I lie;
And more that all these, by the lovely wildloop rose
That now in the woodland its pink blossom shows.
Now ring the sharp scythes of the mowers all day,
And they spread to the air the sweet-scented hay'
They pile up the wagon ere daylight is done,
And singing come home with the set of the sun.
I feel the warm west wind fan gently my cheek
As I sit on the grass, far too happy to speak;
And then in the twilight I see the faint spark
Of the fire-fly, flitting alone in the dark.
Oh! long happy days, when 'tis full of delight
to roam in the meadows from morning till night!
Oh! summer, sweet summer! glide slowly away,
For I love in your warmth and your fragrance to stay.
This poem is in the public domain.
Henry P. Nichols (1816-1890) from Salem, Massachusetts.
Exploring the World Day-by-Day; Capturing Nature's Wondrous Display! ~Jen
Despite the differences that exist between political, cultural, religious, or national values, we all share the common need for a healthy, clean, sustainable global environment.
All photos were taken in Maryland, USA.