August In The Midwest

The mornings are drenched in dew that clings to everything it touches, coating even the silken strands of a spider web. The heat comes early and tries to claim each droplet as the cool earth pulls it back into white waves of fog before letting go. As the sun climbs higher the fragrances of the wet grasses and musty soil give way to ripening fruit and the earthy smell of mushrooms and nuts.

The sun, intense and relentless, fills the days with heat and humidity, helping to slow the frantic pace of parades, picnics and family vacations. The sounds of fireworks and brass bands are replaced by a symphony of insects and birds that reaches a crescendo with the rhythm of the cicadas. The trees, so laden with leaves they seem weary from holding them up, are motionless in the still heavy air.

The evening ushers in breezes with a hint of coolness but so thick with moisture that they seem to caress the skin. The cool clamminess is a welcome exchange for the stinging heat of the days. The night song of crickets and frogs join together, rhythmically rising and falling like the chords of an organ, soothing and peaceful.

August is not the end of summer it is the peak of summer. It is God’s nature on joyous display and a time to rest, before the harvest, in the fullness of His creation.

Circling Winds

The Days begin entombed in ice

Their captive beauty to behold

Frosted works of snow and Ice

Put on display by fearless cold                  

The numbing silence of the days

and howling winds of night

conspire together to delay

The time when sun and earth unite

When the sun scouts out the scene

uneasy air reports the danger

Sending warmth to stake its claim

The charcoal skies explode with anger

Waters rise to join the fight

Breaking through strongholds of ice

Led by sun's unwavering light

Overcoming fields of white

Escaping cold's relentless grasp

               With warmth its new companion

The earth claims victory at last

And re-creates with sweet abandon

Filling sky and earth alike

With colors now on full display

Hiding battle scars from sight

And cheering on the lengthening days

Shining waves of heat appear

A signal from the earth and sun

               Restoration's end is near

               A time of peace and rest has come

               Anticipating shifting winds

               The earth collects its bounty

               Storing treasures deep within

               While distant threats are mounting

               

With A show of colors flaming

Warning all to be aware

Restlessly with time remaining

Giving all it stands prepared

With a warning blast of frost

Cold pushes through to claim its fate

The battle short but all’s not lost

As earth and sun retreat to wait

There is no question of defeat

The circle slowly closing

Lingering memories of the heat

Keep hope alive and growing