This Summer

I watched the movie of this summer
from inside, shielded from the unreality
of vacant sunny days, no traffic noise,
a drought of touch and laughter.

I lived each day in the now,
no plans for the after,
uncertain if there would be any kind of future.

And now, at the tail end of this summer,
rain-diamonds decorate the windowpane,
mornings are starting chilly, misty,
the friendly sky is drenched with grey.

And soon, the leaves on the trees
will flame in their last hurrah,
and I will say goodbye to this summer.

Kim M. Russell, 17th September 2020

A poem for dVerse Poets Pub Open Link Night Live, also linked to earthweal’s open link weekend

58 thoughts on “This Summer”

  1. Greetings Kim, I resonate very strongly with all you say so tellingly here… And what a line too is:
    “a drought of touch and laughter.” A veritable anthem for our days right now!

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  2. “And now, at the tail end of this summer, rain-diamonds decorate the windowpane.” This is incredibly moving, Kim! 💝 Autumn is just around the corner 🙂

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      1. My daughter (near Buffalo) is having her first child in mid-November. I’d certainly like to see the baby before the end of the year. New York has a 14-day self-quarantine requirement for out-of-state travelers (from 30 out of 50 states). It’s just not going to happen, because requirements include room confinement with isolation from household members, food delivery to the room, as well as separate facilities. My son’s home is nearby, but it’s a small house with one bathroom, and I’d pretty much be putting them into quarantine with me. All of this with “random” checks” by health officials and a first-time violation penalty of $2000.
        I’ve been in Missouri for 8 years, and I’ve driven back to Ohio and NY at least twice a year in that time. I’ll have not seen her at any time during her pregnancy. This whole situation sucks.

        Liked by 1 person

  7. I wonder if this will be labeled the “Covid Summer”? I much preferred the “Summer of Love” in1968. Autumn brings us mold and flu season, while the Covid demon still rages and runs among us, a lion in a herd of antelope, taking us to ground at will.

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    1. More like the Covid Year, Glenn. There’s no sign of it letting up over here. Our numbers are up again and there’s talk of another lockdown. But that’s down to people who are not taking it seriously and insist of carrying on as if it doesn’t exist. The problem is, they might not have it, but they could be carriers.

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    1. Cheers Dwight! I wonder what this winter has in store for us. Our corona virus numbers are rising again in the UK, with individual areas in lockdown, and the new rule of six, which started on Monday, whereby only six people are allowed to meet. They are even encouraging neighbours to report anyone who does not abide by the rule. I’m resigned to hibernating.

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  12. There is a special resonance in the title, that THIS summer is so different, and yet there is a recognition that certain elements are predictable. Yes, cling to the idea that “This, too, shall pass,” allowing this summer to go into history. Peace&Love, Jason

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  13. kaykuala
    There is a tendency to let summer exhausts itself and looking forward to the golden days of Autumn. It is a normal thing to do but you accompanied it with a great write, Kim!

    Hank

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  14. Kim it was great to see and hear you today! I’ll echo everyone else and say it resonates so much. I honestly think this will be the strangest summer we will ever experience. For some reason I think better things are in the works.

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    1. It was lovely to see you too, Jade, but such a shame there was no sound! I’ve always considered myself to be an optimist, but the way things are going at the moment, I’m fearing the worst.

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  15. You captured the essence of the strangeness and solitude of this summer here, Kim. It was great to hear you read it as well. It sounds as though you might be glad to see the end of this summer?

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    1. Thank you, Ingrid, I’m looking forward to autumn. Even though my birthday is in the summer, I’m not a summer person as I can’t stand the heat. It was lovely to see and hear you too, all the way from Slovenia. How long have you lived there? Do you live in Ljubljana?

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      1. Thank you, Kim. I agree about the heat, though I love summer it was way too hot in Andalusia last year! We live in the Alps in the north of Slovenia, we’ve been here since June. It is a very beautiful part of the earth!

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  17. I think the change of season is especially refreshing right now, just because it is some kind of change, one we can rely on. We truly need it during these stagnant, repetitive,confining times. Just love the term “rain-diamonds”. It was wonderful to see you and hear you read yesterday.

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      1. Yes, I love indoor weather, too. So much, especially now I am so old and tired. I meant politically, things will be fraught, no matter what.

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  23. Kim, your poem captures my truth. It’s been hard for me to even recognize that it’s been summer since I’ve been mostly locked inside in an air-conditioned house, unaware of the heat. I’ve been aware of the absence of normalcy though. I wish we could return to a better world, having learned some lessons, but
    I’m skeptical about that.

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    1. Thank you for commenting, Myrna. I’ve been the same. We thought things were starting to improve here in the UK, but it seem a second wave is happening and a lockdown is in view. It worries me.

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  24. A marvelous poetic recounting of this fevered spring and summer Kim. Fevered with Covid-19 and here on the West Coast and other places in the world — with wildfires. And it is not over yet, but hopefully all the brave and knowledgeable efforts so many have put into finding a way out of this, we have rounded the corner into a better Autumn and entering the final Winter stretch to a “true” finish line — despite all the ignorant assholes who remain standing in the way.

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    1. Thanks Rob. It’s heating up again over here and we’ve been warned of another possible lockdown. There are too many people who can’t bothered to self-isolate, keep their distance and wear masks. I’m staying at home again after a brief respite, but thankful for internet communication.

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  25. And soon, the leaves on the trees
    will flame in their last hurrah,
    and I will say goodbye to this summer.

    —— I felt the emotions as you summed up 2020 and we slip into the next phase…hoping there is good news around the corner.

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    1. Thank you. I’m hoping for good news too, but this weekend we’ve had a warning about a second lockdown. We still have a long way to go. I’ll settle for a safe winter, with fingers crossed for next spring.

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