Welcome, dear readers, to my final publication of A Poem For Your Thoughts. It has been a full school year of poetry and prose, and we’ve read everything from the Olde English of Chaucer to the modern rhythm of Ed Roberson. Beat, visual, metered, and free-form poetry were just a few of the poetic styles we dove into each and every Friday, and I can honestly say I enjoyed every piece I published this year. It has been an honor and a sincere pleasure to embark on this poetic quest with you all, and I hope you will continue to not only read and analyze poetry as you take your next steps in life but also support the arts and help the expression of our humanity propagate and flourish for ages to come. Thank you, dear readers, for joining me on this year-long journey of poetry, and thank you for all those who gave me support and input on this column each and every week. Without further ado, here is the 32nd edition of A Poem For Your Thoughts! Go forth, enjoy, and as you read, remember: “It is not what you look at that matters, it is what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau

Poem One: A Summer Wind by Michael Field

O wind, thou hast thy kingdom in the trees,
And all thy royalties
Sweep through the land to-day.
It is mid June,
And thou, with all thy instruments in tune,
Thine orchestra
Of heaving fields and heavy swinging fir,
Strikest a lay
That doth rehearse
Her ancient freedom to the universe.
All other sound in awe
Repeats its law:
The bird is mute; the sea
Sucks up its waves; from rain
The burthened clouds refrain,
To listen to thee in thy leafery,
Thou unconfined,
Lavish, large, soothing, refluent summer wind.

Thoughts: The most interesting aspect of Michael Field’s work is the fact that Michael Field never existed! The two ladies featured in this week’s cover photo are Katherine Harris Bradley and her niece Edith Emma Cooper who published their work under the aforementioned pseudonym. Under their fake name, Bradley and Cooper wrote and published many fine works of poetry which were well accepted by the literary community. After reading this piece for the first time, It was clear why the two women achieved such a high respect and appreciation for their work. The imagery in this piece is strikingly beautiful and as the images of “heaving fields and heavying swinging fir” cement themselves in my mind, a smile creeps onto my face and chills run down my spine at the thought of pure bliss. This poem is nothing but an ode to the world in summer, with the wind as its medium to explain how beautiful the land is; The wind is the ruler of the “kingdom in the trees” and the very “unconfined” nature of the wind is representative of all nature (including humankind) in the tranquil warmth of summer. It is easy and free, just as we should be because the world is ours for the taking! Bradley and Cooper dive deep into the majestic qualities of the wind and the beauty of its constituents in nature, and they are very clear in their message: just as the regal wind is wild and free, so too are we under the summer sun as we stand “in awe” of the wind and his kingdom. There is no way to spin this poem to read in a somber tone because it is filled to the brim with joy and admiration. A beautiful poem that inspires the reader to be part of nature and understand the “Lavish, large, soothing, refluent summer wind” so we can have the same excited spirit.

Poem Two: Return to Summer II by D.C.

I have reached my final season of eternal sunshine here.

Death chases some old fellow and leaves the youth to revel in their glory

Old revivals and new beginnings, everything is blooming again.

I don’t expect to find her waiting under our tree,

Or the flowing fields of frightened grass.

But my heart is content with the blue skies that absorb my tears

And the sun continues to color my soul.

Always.

Summer is my fondest love, so bitter-sweet with nostalgic kisses under

Her sweating heat and crisp moonlight.

She always comforts me with her blanket of warmth,

The buzzing of bees and the chirp-chirp of the crickets hiding all around.

A meteor-shower of fireflies and campfires each night of the week,

The darkness only welcoming my soul to burn with passion and joy.

I await my love in Memphis, the bright skies of the Tennessee border,

The castle which welcomes sleep and study, restless thoughts and open hearts.

Summer has returned, her throne was beginning to grow cold;

This is my final summer, for her warmth will be with me for the next three seasons to come,

And all will be well.

-D.C.

Thank you all for reading and supporting the art of poetry through A Poem For Your Thoughts! Seniors, congratulations on completing your high school careers! Juniors, stay strong and hang in there; you are all very close to the next step in your life! To all of you, dear readers, thank you. Enjoy your summer and keep reading poetry; it just might save your life.

As we all move forward into the next chapter of our lives, I say farewell and leave you with the words of the man who catalyzed my love of poetry:

“Good-by my Fancy!

Farewell dear mate, dear love!

I am going away, I know not where,

Or to what fortune, or whether I may ever see you again,

So Good-bye my Fancy.”

-Walt Whitman