Summer's End (Revised)

Somewhere In East Lansing 2014

In summer’s fading glory, there is sublime joy. Patches of once vibrant but now slightly dusky flowers abound. Breathe deep and you will feel both infinite and finite time. The blooms of the flowers still draw the eye from afar. Upon closer inspection even the untrained eye can see the tints of age have started to scar. Bright red, yellow and purple flowers abound shouting out to bees and bugs and humankind "I am here, I am alive for this glorious moment." They roar singing, "Let me fill you heart." But the green stems supporting them grow straw-like and burnt/brittle at the edges. 

As we survey this scene it evokes memories of past summers spent in fields of wildflowers, in the lush green woods of the north, along the mighty oceans east and west where the air was filled with the laughter of friends. Those memories hint at the bittersweet passage of time, where beauty is fleeting yet profoundly impactful. Each flower, in its last burst of color, whispers stories of long, sun-drenched days and the warmth that lingers in our hearts.

The glory of the flower takes us away from a finite moment into an eternity of delicious joy. I would call these moments the time of ripe peaches. As the liquid from that soft fleshy fruit drizzles down after you consume a mouthful the sweetness is fully satisfying, almost as sensual as an intense sex. The sticky joy of the sweet taste take us beyond this mortal space into a moment of eternity.

This summer's kingdom will soon come falling down. Look my friend, you can see it in the silvering leaves of the trees. This year’s time of short sleeves, short pants and water play will be done soon. The beaches where we sought retreat,seeking relief from the heat, will shortly be cold and desolate places. But when you see flowers full and exploding you suspend the reality of time and age and fragility. The tall grass blowing back and forth with a full beard slow the clock down for a minute so that its tick-tock-tick cannot even be perceived. The thumping of the human heart is lost in the background. 

The coming shift from summer to autumn will bring with it a sense of melancholy and nostalgia, as these vibrant hues of summer give way to fall's muted tones. We will experience bittersweet beauty watching the world transform, a reminder of the impermanence of all things. But we should appreciate the fleeting moments of warmth and joy, making sunlit days memories all the more precious.

In the summer warmth of late August, I will wrap my warped and worried frame in the joyful colors of the spectrum. I will surrender to the bird song and the rhythmic hymn of bees’ wings. They will seduce me and hypnotize me into believing this will be forever. Let us celebrate this time of sweet tastes and perfume-like smells. Let us revel in the sounds of the wild world at work, the rustling of grass and the buzzing of bees. Let the soft grass be our bed. Let our eyes be awash in the royal purple of lavender as time winds down on this short eternity.