Today my poem is in response to a challenge given to write a summer poem. So many poems celebrate the glories of summer. It was humbling to try to add my words. I kept thinking of the quote attributed to Albert Camus:
“My dear,
In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.
In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile.
In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.
I realized, through it all, that…
In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.
And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.
Truly yours,
Albert Camus”
The idea of an invincible summer appealed to me when I first came across these words nearly 50 years ago. I thought of summer memories and images I’ve loved over the years which have lived in me as my own points of strength. In addition, I love the form of the Praise Poem which I learned from Glenis Redmond. (You can read her lesson here). These thoughts came together in the poem which follows.
Invincible Summer
I am summer.
I am a cobalt blue damselfly
Darting here and there.
I am a lonely creek
Meandering through the hemlock-dark hollow.
I am a red-winged blackbird
Perched as a sentinel over the meadow.
I am a tiny Deptford Pink flower hidden in grasses
And secretly plucked by young lovers.
I am the slow winding down of hot
Summer days–
Sunsets that last for hours.
I am August’s crescent moon
Smiling as nature’s night songs lull
Children to sleep.
I am summer.
Marilyn G. Miner DRAFT
August 13, 2021
pelicansandprose 
Summer is my least favorite season and your poem made me love it. I especially love the “slow winding down” of those long days and the night sounds lulling the children to sleep. Your poem also effortlessly evokes different phases of a life, with the suggestions of discoveries of a child, the lovers, and then their own children.
I love oyur poem and I so appreciate you teaching me about this poem form. At the beginning, your description of the damselfly reminded me of the hummingbird we saw while we enjoyed lunch together today!! I love your summer poem mostly because of the precise word choice! Thanks for shairng.
I love your poem and the specific summer images you highlighted. You captured so much of the season. I’m going to check out the link you shared for praise poems next. Thanks for sharing!
Marilyn this is beautiful! I love the specificity of it – the damsel fly, the red-winged blackbird, the flower. The poem is full of vibrant colors and vivid images. Thank you for sharing this!
Marilyn, beautiful! You did have something else to say about summer. Lovely poem. I was fascinated by the praise poem lesson plan you linked to. I’ve started making the brainstorm box for words for myself. Thanks for sharing.
Gorgeous, Marilyn. You’ve brought the idea of an invicible summer to life with vivid nature imagery. The red winged blackbird jumps out at me.
Thank you, Laura! I got some feedback for revision that I might try. I appreciate your beautiful posts from the secret garden!
That’s lovely, Marilyn. I so like the idea of “invincible summer” and was interested to read what you said about its origins. Camus! I’d never have known. I’m going to read that about praise poems, too. Thank you.
This is lovely, Marilyn. So many summer moments that aren’t familiar to me here in Australia – yet you let me experience them through your words and my imagination.
Thank you for your words. I’d like to visit your part of the planet sometime, too!