In summer solstice nights are short
at dusk it’s almost dawn
we’re dancing barefoot in the woods
and almost never yawn
but soon
in August comes the moon
when goods
are harvested to meet
the winter’s need for seed
so dance before the seasons thwart
your solstice’s urgent needs
by Anders Zorn
For Play it again toads – I tested the Robert Herrick’s stanza. Dancing through the night of solstice is normally a fine Swedish transition, but this year it’s cold as winter. I will check out tomorrow- when I’m also linking to poetry pantry
You did well with this difficult form. We had a warm Midsummer day for a change. Lovely. And we woke up in time for sunrise 🙂
Yes, Bjorn. I do think we all need to spend our time dancing while we can. Barefoot in the woods sounds good. August comes WAY too soon.
I like this looking ahead, sort of like the country grasshopper in an Aesop fable–one who cares for the harvest while the other folks play. And that grasshopper makes me think of Mary Oliver’s. t’s a small world.
great job Brian!! It was all at once,, the form challenge, the solstice theme… how wonderful!!
enchanting rhythm to this one man…and i am all for dancing barefoot in the woods…ha…i can feel the dance a bit in your words…
hey i thought you were on vacation..
Enjoyed both form and subject. Sorry it’s cold there. Here, too–at night.
Wonderfully written! I’d almost forgotten how close winter is getting – thanks for the reminder to enjoy Summer while it lasts…
Midsummer in Sweden is something I have yet to experiment. I enjoyed the ‘live in the moment’ tone of your poem.
Perfect depiction and a reminder for a perfect night to dance away ’till morn.
What a lovely vision of carefree summer and dancing, Bjorn…great work with this form!
Yep. You nailed it well and truly. I can sense the druids, sheets, mulled wine….
A very interesting form…a nice break from a typical ballad form. Hope you had an enjoyable solstice…even if it’s colder than it should be. We’re having a cool and rainy day here.
“we’re dancing barefoot in the woods”…love this spirit …nice use of the form as always
I very much like the picture you chose to accompany the poem. Very seasonable poem, thanks for sharing it.
Good piece Bjorn. Also interesting information on a Swedish custom. 🙂 —Susan
This is a very, very fine work, Bjorn! Flawless & my heart’s dancing with the rhythm. Cold nights just like here plus rain showers. Smiles.
Oh, I would really like to experience the solstice in Sweden. I remember one summer in Scotland I experienced it being light at 11 pm and then again at about 3:30. It amazed me; and I would imagine where you live it would even more so. Nice use of form.
beautiful form which enlivened and somehow made the dance in the cold even more chilling
“at dusk it’s almost dawn” I love that idea, and the short summer nights must give way at last to lengthening days, as your piece reminds us to make hay while the sun shines.
You really did wonderful work with this form, Bjorn–I found it difficult and demanding,( but rewarding,) but here you make it dance, and dance in a very ceremonial way. I hope your days, now longer, become warmer as well.
not ready to consider August just yet… but this is lovely nonetheless.
Pity you did not dance in the woods for the summer solstice. There is a lot of pagan magic in the cold Nordic countries. I like the painting as well.
This has a wonderful lilt to it, and I smiled at the “almost never yawn”……good one, Bjorn.
Yes, dance while we can…enjoy every long day of daylight we are given…beautiful
Dancing in the cold could be challenging yet rewarding…reminds winter yielded just for so short…~ Love the rhymes and rhythm to dance.
The Herrick’s stanza form was a fun write, wasn’t it? I thought the directions were a little inconsistent with changes as the different posts went along. But the principle was about the same, even for the “Book” form.
Summer solistice isn’t a big deal to most of us in the U.S. but I knew that in some countries it was very special. Thank you for sharing yours, even the dance.
..
I had loved and shared your poem on google-plus Bjorn. It felt at home with my personality as a hermit. The accompanying photo made me think of my childhood storybooks about that time period in history.
This was fun to read. Made me want to enjoy the summer more, to dance to the silence and the heat. Sorry you’re experiencing cold. Hope things warm up soon.
Nice to see you going for the form ~ I love the short summer nights & dancing ~ I hope the weather improves on your side of the world as over here, its nice & hot, smiles ~
danced thru a very warm solstice night to the tune of your wonderful ballad – smiles – K
Dancing barefoot in the woods..that sounds magical
This was a delightful read. Dancing barefoot–the best!
an interesting form!
living in the tropics, the nights here are long and humid. 🙂
The pulsating rhythm of this piece works beautifully with the spirited vigor of dancing barefoot – and conjured forth a vision very much in keeping with the Anders Zorn painting. I liked this post a lot.
Now, I feel like dancing merrily too…
I love the playful feel of your poem and then the serious tone~ I want to dance barefoot-so much joy shared in your wise verse~