August Noon - A Pantoum Poem by Lois Read

A hush surrounds our witnessing,
metabolism slows to match the mood.
Noon-time is a song of many colored velvet.
Raspberry juice drips down our chins.

Metabolism slows to match the mood.
We listen as cicadas trill the noon.
Raspberry juice drips down our chins.
Clear calm conceals the threat of change.

We listen as cicadas till the noon,
steady drone of bees for counterpoint
Clear calm conceals the threat of change,
the silken scarf of evening yet unfurled.

Steady drone of bees for counterpoint,
the midday chorus wraps us round.
The silken scarf of evening yet unfurled,
we are one with summer heat.

The mid-day chorus wraps us round
hypnotizing with its beat.
We are one with summer heat,
we will not move til evening.

Hypnotizing with its beat
noontime is a song of many-colored velvet.
We will not move til evening.
A hush surrounds our witnessing.