Under Summer Skies
Under summer skies we played
fair and blue on Warrington Lake
we jumped in waters stained with clouds
swam through lily pads out to the raft
leaped into the cold and deep
muck sucking at our feet
while fish nibbled at our white skin
giggling and screaming all the while
of course, someone would always cry
later on forgetting why
for memories are always kind that way
when the family meets for summer play.
Hiking ’round the lake for fun
picking winterberries and wildflowers
while watching for bears
changing clothes with biting horseflies
lake perch that grandpa caught
with bread and fresh blueberries
this and more I do remember
wonderful times I’ll treasure forever
for memories are always kind that way
when the family meets for summer play.
© Rebecca Sanchez 2018
Thank you, everyone, for the summer skies and fun back then! Love always, Bekkie
Written for my family (you know who you are) in memory of my cousin Jay Banasyznski who passed away recently. I was happy to see him 2 years ago at the wedding after not seeing him for 40 plus years. When I think of him now I picture him as an always smiling big kid, like when I last saw him most.
Jay really hasn’t changed much here. Jay (left) and Uncle Gene (right) at the wedding. I took the picture of Warrington Lake on this visit to Uncle Gene’s place. Love you.
Written for the prompt summer with my friends at Poets United.
This is so moving and beautiful, Bekkie! What a beautiful tribute ❤ ❤
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Thank you for reading it, Neha! Have a great weekend! Hugs!
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My pleasure, Bekkie! I hope you have a great weekend as well 🙂
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I’ll be riding my bicycle. Thanks!
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Oh yay! Sounds like a fun weekend then! ❤
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Funny, isn’t it, when we don’t see people they remain exactly as we last saw them … forever young! Loved your memories.
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Thank you, Beverly! As soon as you talk to them it happens. Hope you found some memories of your own here.
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Such an idyllic childhood, Bekkie! I’ve never had fish nibble at me – I must have been swimming in the wrong places! Mind you, we don’t have bears either.
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Wisconsin (northern) was just woods with fire lanes back then. The fish would see our white flesh under water and think it was food. Sometimes the bites hurt and used to creep me out. There are still bears! My uncle lives on the lake still and said a mother with 2 cubs came through the other day. They get the smaller brown and black bears.
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How easily I slipped into my own childhood adventures reading this Bekkie. What a great reminiscence you have shared made more poignant with the photo of Jay and Gene.
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Thank you, Oldegg. The best kind of memories. That lake is still there much like it was too which is pretty rare these days.
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We jumped in waters stained with clouds….I dearly love that image. A wonderful tribute to your cousin Jay.
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Thank you! That line came easily looking at my photo. Hugs!
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Such a sweet and delicious tribute to summers long ago!
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Thank you!
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delightful poem full of great memories… it made me track back to similar times in my youth…
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I’m happy it did because many of us do have these kinds of summer memories. Thank you, Robert! Sorry it took me so long to answer I couldn’t get online for awhile but I’m back.
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How nice to connect family memories and a tribute to this prompt. I like everything about this post, except that you actually had to look around for bears. Yikes!
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Thanks so much, Myrna! Your comment made my day.
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” waters stained with clouds”
Awesome phrase. Thanks for the nostalgia and photos
Nice!!!
Much🌼love
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Thanks so much, Gillena! I couldn’t get online much in the last 2 weeks but I’ll make up for it. (Not because of this death in the family.) Big hug!
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Wonderful memories of summer and cousins. I am glad you got to see Jay, before he passed. A blessing.
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He had been sick. Chemo every month for the rest of his life and he was only in his late 50’s. One of those people who had a tragic life but smiled through it. When I saw him I made it count because I knew I’d never see him again. I got to tell him how I appreciated growing up with him and loved him. It made his passing much easier. What a major blessing that was indeed! Hugs!
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I am struck by the words, “bread and berries.” Can’t say why, but they resonate with my own memories!! Loved your write.
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Life on a farm is like that. Money poor, but good food and the relationship with nature makes it rich. Bread is something everyone in history has in common with us it’s almost like air. Lol! Big hug!
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Beautiful memories and a lovely tribute to Jay.☺
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Thank you, Vivian he was a special soul who had a hard life. Some people just have it that way. Yet, he always smiled and never put it on anyone else. A real dear.
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Amazing😊
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“we jumped in waters stained with clouds”–how true! Stained! and blessed. This poem makes me see and feel the lake. I love it.
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That lake is so special, and still pretty much the same. How many areas can you say that about nowadays? Someday I suppose it will be fully commercialized but not yet.
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Makes me nostalgic as I read this. No matter where we are from, we all have those memories that were created beneath summer skies. Thank you for sharing 🙂
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Thank you for reading and commenting! It’s so true and those memories are everything!
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You are most welcome – yes, they are!
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Lovely write Miss Bekkie. The imagery is fantastic. I can picture Warrington Lake in my mind’s eye. A beautiful tribute to your cousin chock full of many memories.
Condolences on the loss of your cousin Jay:-(
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Thank you so much, Phil! You’re a sweet friend. Big hug!
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