Summer Arrives Poem by Tor Magnor Solvang

The heavy winter finally breaks its hold,
And afternoon returns in green and gold.
The prairie wind blows soft across the plains,
To wash away the chill of April rains.

I sit beneath the maple's quiet canopy,
Where shifting shadows offer shade to me.
The summer sun is bright, intense, and high,
A blazing jewel in the prairie sky.

Across the lawn, the busy squirrels race,
And leap through branches with a frantic grace.
They dig for treasures in the fertile soil,
Amused and focused in their cheerful toil.

The robins hop along the vibrant grass,
And tilt their heads to watch the shadows pass.
They pull up worms and sing their pleasant song,
To prove that summer warmth is where they belong.

Nearby, the sleek and glossy blackbirds call,
And claim their perches on the garden wall.
Their feathers catch the midday golden light,
A sudden flash, of iridescent night.

The afternoon is long and completely still,
Reclining on a gentle, rolling hill.
Down here in Southwest Minnesota's care,
A perfect peace is resting in the air.