I’ve been absent for a few weeks from Poetry Friday. Two trips pulled me away. One was to a retreat at Lake Tahoe with my poetry group, the Nevermores. One to a family beach vacation in Ocean City, NJ.
At Lake Tahoe we had lots of time to hike, work on projects, share, and do some spontaneous prompt writing. Patricia gave each of us a small bottle of poetry prompts disguised as capsules from The Poetry Pharmacy.
I borrowed the phrase “Soon will the…” from one of the prompts in my bottle for “As Summer Comes to a Close:”
As Summer Comes to a Close
Soon will the red day lilies fade
and the black-eyed Susans open,
winking in the breeze.
Soon will the bluebirds and finches
leave nests behind,
fledglings finding their wings.
Soon will fireflies
offer final signals to mates,
waiting in the tall grass.
And soon, with luck, will monarchs
spot the milkweed,
welcoming a new generation.
Draft, 2025RoseCappelli
__________________________________________________________________
And here are a few snippets from the beach:
early morning tide
delivers beach-bound horseshoe crabs
ancient arthropods
******************
searching shooting stars
where ocean and sky are one
simple heart pleasures
******************
Wind slaps
the awning flaps,
flipping them back and forth,
thudding
like runners on a dirt path.
The day will be cool, breezy;
the ocean will be rough, roaring;
the company pleasant, content.
Draft, 2025Rose Cappelli
Molly has the round up today at Nix the Comfort Zone where she offers thoughts about slowing down and appreciating the present. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.
Imagine the Possibilities 
Just jotted “soon will the…” into my notebook. Your garden-themed poem using that phrase could be about the small patch of earth I tend!
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Wow, you all are so creative! Those bottles are adorable. Absolutely gorgeous imagery, Rose. “Soon will the red day lilies fade” and “where the ocean and sky are one” are two of my favorite lines. I am glad you had such a relaxing and poetic time at Lake Tahoe with kindred spirits.
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I love what you did with “Soon will” as a repeated line. Wonderful images of nature at the end of summer. Monarchs came to my milkweed a few weeks ago. I was able to release 6 new butterflies on Monday and Tuesday. Your trips sounded like times full of peaceful contemplation. Thanks for sharing!
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“Soon will the…” is an evocative opening! I love what you did with those words.
And this one:
Wind slapsthe awning flaps,flipping them back and forth,thuddinglike runners on a dirt path.
The day will be cool, breezy;the ocean will be rough, roaring;the company pleasant, content.
invites me to the beach. ❤️
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Oops, my cut-and-paste of your poem didn’t format correctly in the comment, but you get the idea. :D
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“Nevermores” is such a great name for a group! Glad you’re back, Rose. Your poem about summer ending is full of such wonderful specificity, as well as looking at cycles from different points (the fireflies looking for mates, the fledglings leaving, etc.). And I’m really struck by those horseshoe crabs, connecting the now with the past! Nicely done!
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Funny story about the horseshoe crabs – I wanted to use the phrase “ancient crustaceans” for the sounds until I figured out that horseshoe crabs, despite the name, are actually arthropods.
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I love that we wrote together that day and had similar themes. And your beach poems capture so many wonderful moments. I love “beach-bound horseshoe crabs.”
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What a rich post! I love how you took the phrase “soon will the…” and ran with it. Such a gorgeous poem and it ends perfectly, moving from the imminent to hope for the future. I’m also dazzled by the sounds in your final poem. Love that you were able to gather with the Nevermores and create poetry and memories together!
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Thanks for this rich bevy of nature poems Rose, beautiful imagery in your “As Summer Comes to a Close” poem. I like the sensitivity of those fireflies, and have hope for the monarchs too—and those “ancient arthropods”offer us enchanting time travel!
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I’m still loving that “Soon will” prompt! Glad to hear you and your family enjoyed the shore time, too. I’m able to write again (the crooked elbow thing set me back a week or two)…so a little note is on its way to Allan!
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Good to hear! I’ve been thinking of you.
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Rose, your vacation bundle is surely one to bring much happiness in its aftermath. I can imagine from your poems how much you enjoyed each day. The ocean is always a perfect spot to bond with nature.
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Rose, I’m so happy you had the opportunity for those trips–Lake Tahoe to Ocean City! Wow. What an adventure, and poetry all around. I so love the poetry prompt pills from the Poetry Pharmacy. So sweet. I enjoyed reading the poems and seeing the photos too. The ocean is amazing, and I love the way you captured the sky and the ocean coming together as one.
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