Slice of Life March Challenge. No.23
This morning, I thumbed through some posts I wrote last year. One in particular caught my attention, one I wrote last July, a post about picking blueberries. I could feel a poem floating beneath the surface of the prose. So, I pulled out words, phrases, sentences. I did a bit of revision, and a poem emerged. Now, to fully appreciate that poem, imagine that we are picking blueberries on a summer morning.
There will be a day–
a wintry day that
today seems so far away,
a cold rainy,
northwest day that
always follows summer,
a day when we will long for
summer’s sunshine.
And on that day,
we will go to the freezer,
pull out a bag
of dark frosty berries.
we’ll pop a couple
into our mouths and
with the rest
bake a scrumptious pie.
And on that day,
we will sit down
in my toasty kitchen
with a slice of that
blueberry pie
and some old-fashioned
vanilla ice cream.
On that day,
blueberry sweetness
will convey us back
to this summer morning
with bird songs and
a golden sun
chasing the chill of night.
We will remember
a bush, limbs bent low
with sweet, juicy berries.
© 2017 Alice Nine
Branches were so heavy they bent to the ground
One of five large bowls we picked on that summer morning
My winter blueberry pie, with the memory of summer
topped with a scoop of
Tillamook Old-Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for hosting
2017 Slice of Life Story Challenge
This brought back memories. As kids we would go picking blueberries and then sell them to a guy who would pay us by the pint. I don’t remember how much, but I do remember eating more than I sold.
Fun memories! When I lived in NJ, some of my HS friends and I worked in the packing houses at farms for about 4 weeks each summer —- blueberry and sweet corn. We had a lot of fun together.
Lovely! I always enjoy making jam and preserving those wonderful summer memories. Thanks for a shot of sunshine on another cold, cold day.
Yum! Homemade jam is always a keeper. And here’s wishing you some warmer weather soon.
Nothing nicer than summer in a pie, Alice. Lovely memory!
Oh, Linda, I love it — “Summer in a Pie”
Yum! Since I’ve spent many summers in the Maine Lakes regions, I can totally put myself there with you. For me, it’s all about the blueberry muffins. There is nothing better than hand-picked sweetness. I adore your first stanza – the play on “day” works beautifully.
Thanks, Laurie. That first stanza just rolled onto my screen almost out of nowhere. That rarely happens, so when it does I’m always in awe of it. Do you have a good blueberry muffin recipe? I’ve never baked muffins much. Biscuits, cornbread, scones, pancakes, and pies but not muffins.
I am ready to move to your home. Honestly. What a lovely way to recall summer and to do so evoking all the senses. The images are grand. I imagine that slice of summer was as well.
Thanks, Mary Ann! I’m so glad you came by today; too bad I could only share photos with you 🙂
Yum, yum, yum. I would love a piece of this pie. The poem is delicious to read.
Wish I could share a piece with you, Terje… Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Loved the poem. I often think that way in the summer too.
Thank you. Storing us some summer helps us make it through the winter. 🙂
my gosh that pie looks soooooo good!!!!!!!!
Yep, it was delicious … if I do say so myself. 🙂
What a delicious slice today, Alice. Next time I have blueberry pie, I will think of your poem.
Nice play on words, Carol. Yes, think of me when you have a slice!