Thistles at Midsummer

a poem of summer solstice

swallowtail on thistle, image © the author

Somewhere beyond the many seas, the sun
Was ring of fire round a mighty moon;
But here the bright midsummer’s just begun.
The sun shone simply amid skies of June;
The blue skies played at tag with thunderheads
Until the blue won out; meantime the brash
Refulgent pink of thistles held their heads
Aloft on stalks as tall as I, to stash
The pantries of the goldfinch and supply
A sip to…