Virginia's Solstice

There was a summer that smelled of oranges,

Where thick humidity softened the day

And I was young, sweet, and impressionable

Green hills flirted with black top for miles and miles

And the depth of Virginia's land saturated my soul

My mind cleared and peace took the place of pain

Max sat next to me on the porch swing, panting over his collar

Haze of evening carried the weight of my thoughts on her shoulders gracefully

And I was willing to let her do that for me

Because I needed the release

Because I needed the exchange

Because I longed for her harmony

I was finally free. Free to laugh, free to write, free to find a spirit

My own, the one I had locked away summers prior to that

And I knew he watched from a distance, but I let him do so

He loved me for it, and I loved him for being there

He was my laughter and my escape,

Reincarnating the giddy butterflies in my stomach

There was a summer that smelled of fireworks

Where effervescent lights coveted night's sky

And I was young, sweet, and impressionable

Silver stars danced above us as we lay on our backs

Flirting on that very black top, still warm from the heat of day

And the depth of his tranquility imparted to me a gift I hope to one day return

A soft, seamless, serenity

A summer solstice in Virginia