#YouAreHerePoetry

As summer rolls on, so does nature's changeable weather patterns. Meteorologists consistently offer news that challenges our patience. What is the best time for a relaxing family vacation before school doors open? We wonder and plan but the weather reports are not always accurate. 

I was intrigued by The Inkling's challenge for the first Friday of August. Host Catherine Flynn presented an invitation for everyone to join the 2024 Poet Laureate, Ada Limón’s Poet Laureate project, “You Are Here.” You can read more about the project on The Library of Congress website. The prompt asked that poets and non-poets respond to the question that asks, "What would you write in response to the landscape around you"? 

I Am Here

In the steamy "dog days" of August,

Summer salutes life with

golden streams of morning bliss.

⭣

Here, I find the historical presence of Cape May, NJ,

esteemed as the oldest seaside resort in America-

my place to pause and relax.

⭣

I find solace in the imperfect weather

where a billowy, marshmallow

pattern transforms the sky.

⭣

Droplets descend.

Nature shifts her perspective as

sunlight peeks through clouds.

⭣

Land and sea rest.

Choice opens a pathway

under nature's canopy.

⭣

I am here at the shore   

renewed by sunshine and sprinkles.

Summer welcomes nature's joy. 

⭣

At each pause, I savor the

artistic presence of vivid sights

when nature meets shore.

⭣

©CVarsalona, 2024, image poem series

The above poem is highlighted with picturesque photos of the Cape May Jersey Shore and my thoughts on the marvelous landscapes that recently surrounded me during my family's beach vacation.

This summer has been a series of medical ups and downs that did not provide enough space for me to join Two Writing Teachers for Tuesday's Slice of Life. Today, I am delighted to write alongside educator friends.