I did it! I wrote a short poem for every day of the summer. A notebook in my Evernote app called “2017 Summer Shorts Poems” now holds 93 of this summer’s daily photos and their accompanying verses.
That I even completed this amazes me. But that I enjoyed it to the last day amazes even more. I think the secret of finishing was that my expectations were low. The poems are all short. I didn’t write every day but did take daily photos and then caught up with the poem-writing when I had the time and the inspiration. And I never got too far behind.
Today I share with you yesterday’s photo and poem of farewell to summer. The photo prompt was “Goodnight Moon.”
Farewell to Summer
Goodnight moon of blushing gold.
Farewell drowsy heat of noon.
Mornings now are crisp and cold
falling leaves and frost come soon.
Autumn’s winds and rains are bold
I would love a summer rune.
Through these lines your charms I’ll hold
till you come again next June.
© 2017 by Violet Nesdoly (All rights reserved)
************
This post is linked to the Poetry Friday, hosted today by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater at The Poem Farm where on Tuesday she celebrated the actual birth day of her new book Read! Read! Read!
Violet Nesdoly 
Wow! You should feel summerly long into fall with this poem a day achievement, Violet. And what a lovely journal to be able to look back upon when chill winter comes calling. Brava!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! That’s what this project has turned out to be—a summer journal.
>
LikeLike
Kudos to you for meeting this summer writing challenge! Enjoyed your summer farewell poem, and what a gorgeous peach! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Jama. I agree, a gorgeous peach! We have very few peach trees here and the fruits on this one, seen over a wooden fence as high as a well, surprised me when I noticed them a week or two ago. I think we had the perfect summer for growing peaches though, hot and sunny.
>
LikeLike
Violet… you have written a lovely little poem, and the picture and the idea of Goodnight Moon are all fun. Good for you for finishing your challenge!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Brother & Sister! I’m enjoying that sense of “I did it…”
LikeLike
Wow, that is amazing! I didn’t write that much that was original this summer, but I revised and revised again. The first draft is the sweetest, like your summer peach.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Brenda,
Revision is often harder and more draining than first drafts. Hope all yours pay off in some great news one of these days!
>
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Violet. I keep working toward it.
LikeLike
Woohoo! That’s impressive to photograph and write every day for the summer. Your poem is a lovely ode to the end of summer. I’m looking forward to those crisp, fall mornings., and more consistent writing habits for me.
LikeLike
Thank you, Kay. Now that I’ve made peace with summer leaving, I know I’ll enjoy autumn as much as any season… the coolness and the lovely colours. Bring it on!
>
LikeLike
I love “drowsy heat of noon.” Such an apt description. Congratulations on your successful summer of writing!
LikeLike
Thank you, Tabatha! (It actually doesn’t feel like I wrote that much, but it does feel wonderful to finish something you start!)
>
LikeLike
WOW! Many, many congratulations. I’m so impressed and happy for you. That photo really made me want to take a bite of that peach (or, is it an apple?). I love how the fruit is the orange glowing moon we are saying goodbye to. Perfect.
LikeLike
Thank you, Linda. It is a peach—a rare fruit for our region. Apples are more common. The “goodnight moon” prompt had me stumped for a while. I spent much of my walk gazing at the sky for some sight of a ghosty daytime moon. But then I came to the conclusion, anything round would do, I saw that orange orb, the idea for a poem came and… done!
>
LikeLike
Congratulations–that’s a wonderful achievement (someday I hope to have such discipline!) And thanks for sharing your peach of a poem.
LikeLike
Aw, thanks Buffy! Much appreciated.
>
LikeLike
I’m curious… Is this the change of your seasons, now (late September?) I notice a lot of people are posting Autumn poems – and your post makes it sound like yesterday was the last day of summer.
Your peach photo is making me hungry. It teams up so well with Heidi’s poem this week – and perfectly compliments the blushing gold. And I love how ‘drowsy noon’ hints at the downy peach.
LikeLike
Thanks, Katswhiskers. Yes, you’ve got that seasonal thing right. On June 21st my calendar has the words “Summer Solstice.” On September 21st, “Autumnal Equinox.” Including and between those two dates is the season we call summer (no matter what the weather). I suppose it’s exactly opposite for you in Australia? Would the time between those dates be your winter?
>
LikeLike
Oh wow. So – do the dates for season changes then CHANGE – every year? Or is it always the 21st? Australian seasons are opposite, yes – but also marked by the calendar months. So – Dec/Jan/Feb are summer, March/April/May are autumn… and our new season (spring) kicked in on the 1st of September. Kind of simple and effective. 🙂
LikeLike
Yes, Kat, they change a little bit. Last year the first day of summer (summer solstice) was on June 20th, first day of autumn (autumnal equinox) on September 22nd. In 2015 SS was on June 21st, AE on September 23.
This article explains the business of solstices and equinoxes: http://www.weather.gov/cle/seasons
>
LikeLike
Thanks, Violet. So fascinating. (And a little confusing, one would think?) I will check out that link!
LikeLike
Lovely, closing summer poem Violet–I can feel the summers bold colors fading away and falls rich earth-tones creeping in. I like your peach/moon exchange, and the image with a wisp of red in the vine and changing leaves works very well. Congrats on completing your Summer poems!
LikeLike
Thanks, Michelle! Appreciate your artist’s eye evaluation of the photo composition… probably a happy accident but pleased you think it works. 🙂
>
LikeLike
“Farewell drowsy heat of noon”
What a beautiful photograph, poem, and project. And I am not surprised by how much you loved it. How magical it is to find the great stores of imagination within us…when we discipline ourselves with ritual. I am working to discipline myself with ritual during these fall days… Peace. x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Amy, and also thanks for hosting this week. I love how you put that: “How magical it is to find the great stores of imagination within us… when we discipline ourselves with ritual.” So true!
>
LikeLike
Oh my gosh–this is lovely! What a project, Violet. Congratulations!
LikeLike