How to explain summer, by Britta Benson

Photo by Erik Mclean on Pexels.com

Bit of poetry news: I’m W3 Poet of the Week over at The Skeptic’s Kaddish – a weekly poetry challenge I cannot recommend highly enough. You can check it out here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2022/08/10/w3-prompt-15-weave-written-weekly/

Also: My haibun ‘How to explain summer’ has been published on Whispers & Echoes today. (https://whispersandechoesmag.home.blog/2022/08/10/how-to-explain-summer-britta-benson/)

This requires some explaining… I’m in London just now, in the middle of a heatwave. I guzzle water by the gallon and have been quite partial to ice creams in a tasty attempt to cool down. It is sooooo hot here!

And then, there is my wee poem about a Scottish summer. Not hot at all. A rather reluctant, understated affair. When I submitted it, I was in Scotland and the words felt right. Now, I’m not so sure. Anyway, I give you a hesitant summer… while I down some more water to keep hydrated.

How to explain summer

I live in Scotland. This makes any description of summer a little impractical. Borderline delusional. Here, this season doesn’t succumb to the obvious crowdpleasing heat – that would be far too simple. There is, however, the notion of robust excitement that seems to spread in a swell from tip to toe, from top to bottom and sideways. Especially sideways!

The wave meant well, fast,

approached the sand castle. Joy!

A dash of summer.