August Lemonade
This late summer month,
when heat clings
with an air of resignation
of fading persistence,
was always your favorite.
Retirement spent outdoors,
gardening, preparing
for the coming change.
Shirtless, you wore the sun
like it was your own.
I always see this month
as yours, see you
holding a lemonade
in the still air
beneath a blazing sun.
Lemonade in August was written for Monday’s haibun prompt from Frank Tassone at dVerse ~ Poets Pub.
I decided to rewrite it in free verse.
Shared with Open Link Night #297 at dVerse ~ Poets Pub.
Image source: WPNGITEM
rivrvlogr 
I feel longing in this. Yet it seem a happy and warm memory of a loved one.
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Thank you. He is indeed missed.
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A beutiful tribute to someone well loved.
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Thank you, Beverly.
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I love how this is like diving into a nice memory of long ago, and how this person is an important part of the narrator. Beautifully written, Ken!
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Thank you, Lucy. He’s been gone nearly thirty years, but some memories stay firmly planted.
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You’ve really captured the way a piece of time and season can hold someone’s heart for you. There is longing but the sun shines through your words.
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Thank you, Mish. There definitely is love here.
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We find our ways to tell our stories through the way memories present themselves. You found yours on an August day – full of yellow – sunshine and lemons!
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Thank you. Yellow was his color. From shirts to the color he painted his house (then sided it) to having at least two yellow colors. Definitely yellow.
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That’s really beautiful, Ken.
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Thank you, Steve.
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I love this line and I love seeing people who wear the sun like your dad did.
“Shirtless, you wore the sun
like it was your own.”
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and that he did. Thank you, Lisa.
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You’re welcome.
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I always see my brother who died in 2001 holding a slice of watermelon like he did in the last picture I took of him. I love the shirtless wearing the sun part. http://www.looseleafnotes.com/2021/07/ashes-to-ashes/
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Thank you. Memories are snapshots. Hold that one close.
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Sweet!
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Thanks!
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I love the summer memory and you captured it well with the lemonade under the blazing sun.
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Thank you, Grace.
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lemonade is light and refreshing stirring memories on a hot summer day.
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It can be a tonic.
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Refreshing drink and refreshing sweet memories.
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🙂 I like both thoughts.
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A fond memory and evocative tribute to someone who obviously meant a lot to you.
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Indeed he did. Tank you, Ingrid.
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“ Shirtless, you wore the sun
like it was your own.”
This reminds me of my Dad.
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Some memories just stay with you, don’t they?
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Yes they do!
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This is exquisite …. I saw so many long gone loved ones as I read your poem, and read it again.
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Thank you, Helen. I really appreciate that.
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A beautiful reminiscence Ken, I particularly like
“This late summer month,
when heat clings
with an air of resignation
of fading persistence,”
JIM
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Thanks, Jim. Experiencing current weather conditions helped me write that.
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“Shirtless, you wore the sun
like it was your own.” – so evocative! Love this line 🙂
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🙂 Thank you.
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