Summer Place

Summer Place A song crept into my soul today riding on the summer wind Then peeked into my summer place closed for many seasons - Windows shuttered standing on a grassy knoll Whitewashed in the morning melody at the waters edge - Waiting - held in time - face unchanging; I forgot how I loved to sit Upon the wysteriaed porch in wicker chairs painted white To smell the elfin roses reaching for the trellis tops As summer heavy hangs upon the railing While a frisky breeze Hop skips Across the harbor leaving diamonds in it's footsteps On the waters And opens up the wide front door, Decorated with a flowered wreath, Inviting welcome to my summer place, Warmed by summer's enduring caress; The wide front room filled with bits of yellowed lace, A fragile nautilus, Daphne pressed between old diary pages, Haunting songs of summers past, antique keys And faded photographs; I take the album in my hands sitting upon the fragrant porch, Arms around my knees, tabby kitten by my side, To watch the games and songs And friends Unfold their images across the lawn - Children playing in the sand at the waters edge, Voices lifted in the sunlight - Here, I can touch their hands again, Look into their eyes And see our laughter fill the afternoon; We return from play Young women, Dressed in cool white linen, Sun touched hair bound in flowing ribbons Enfolded in the breezy twilight on the porch To feast on summer peaches and gaze across the water With eyes enchanted by the gathering lights Twinkling in the dusk - The first bright stars of evening rising on the darkened air Whispering of the future borning, Blessed by the crickets chirping serenade -, Till I would stand Alone Upon the empty porch tightly holding in my arms Roses, Red and white Pink and lavender, Yellow, crimson, orange and ivory and blue, Their new perfume ever filling The quiet rooms of my summer place Until the golden moon slowly closes the white front door Putting the key into its place, Leading me upon the sandy path To morning Painting blush upon the sky, When the summer wind Whispers Of a summer place.