Last Day of Summer

On the last day of summer
let me not forget the cardinal family
that flits through dogwood to the maple or
shadow dancing of full-leaved trees in the breeze

Let me notice while I can the
dinner-plate-sized hibiscus blooms,
echinacea of the same magenta hue, and
Painted Lady butterflies feasting on Queen Anne’s lace

Let me remember bats darting for mosquitoes,
fireflies in the yard, jalapenos my neighbor grew and
offered us as we played cards
at dusk on the patio table

May mint freshness linger, the feel of slicing into a
cantaloupe, the basement’s escape to cool
May I savor these last moments of summer
as it emerges into autumn’s beauty

On the fall equinox (which means “equal night” in Latin), the amount of daylight is nearly equal to the hours of darkness. The equinox happens for just a moment — this year, it takes place at 9:31 a.m. EDT (1:31 p.m. UTC) on Sept. 22, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). At this time, Earth’s axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun, leading to an almost equal amount of sunlight and darkness at all latitudes, the NWS reported. People at the equator will notice that the sun is directly overhead at 12 p.m. local time. (from Space.com)

Both photos from my front garden.

Advertisement