The first day of summer dawns hot and dry; not like it used to here in the moderate Pacific Northwest of my youth. The air outside is stifling, so I stay indoors listening to the hum of the fan and worrying about the young plants in my nature garden. The shrubs and berries and grasses – all native to this area – are not supposed to need supplemental watering because they are acclimated to thrive in their natural environment.
But this climate, altered to unnatural heat and drought, is not what Mother Nature signed on for when she gave us the delicate mosses and ferns, the soft evergreen needles, the supple, shiny leaves of shrubs like snowbrush and Oregon grape.
This evening a breeze will pick up and give at least the illusion of coolness to the air. I will visit the garden to make sure the ladybugs, bees and butterflies have water in the little pool I made for them. And I will utter an apology on behalf of my species for the damages this planet has endured. The rain, when it comes, will be happily welcomed.
Imperceptibly,
summer solstice pendulum
pauses, shifts, recedes.
What Rhymes with Stanza? 
I really like the poem attached to this, such a subtle but succinct way to capture what happens on the solstice.
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Thank you. I’m glad you liked it.
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I live in Sumner, so we are experiencing the same heat wave. I’m glad my A/C works well. It was 123 degrees in AZ yesterday.
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I’m in Vancouver, WA. No A/C, but I have a heat pump that conveniently works only when it’s not too hot or too cold. I wonder who thought that was a good idea…
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Here we have heat waves but, usually the summer days are in the 80’s. I like how you leave small pools of water for the creatures.
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Thank you. Small gesture, to be sure, but I believe the small things make a difference.
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I’m pleased you brought this up: ‘I will utter an apology on behalf of my species for the damages this planet has endured.’ I think we all need to. It is very warm here but not sure if its unseasonably so as its my first summer here. I am trying to limit my air con use but its difficult to do anything without it.
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Any efforts we can make are better than ignoring it. I still take more than I give back, but it’s a start.
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I’m the same.
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😢 Maggie 😢
-David
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Your haibun points out how the natural solstice is off balance. Love the little pond you made for the garden critters as a small kindness or offering of sorts.
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Thank you. It’s the least I can do for them. Pollination is thirsty work, or so I hear. 🙂
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Beautiful. You take good care of your world. Over here it’s hot and dry and ugly. Yesterday I told amore that I felt like in a stomach of a giant beast. (I see that stomach couldn’t be dry though…)
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Maybe the armpit?
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Hihihhh! Quite likely. 😀
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My world so far has escaped stifling heat. We’ve had lots of rain of late, and magnificent thunderstorms (which always make me happy). Everything is lush and green…and happy at the moment! I recall summer heat waves of my youth before AC, and sigh at the good fortune of today’s whole house AC!
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I worry for those who have no AC. I have a heat pump, so can at least keep a modicum of coolness, but it will be truly unbearable for some this week around here.
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Yes, so many plants and animals are finding that they can’t live in the place they’re supposed to because the climate has changed. I wonder who is going to give a new home to the polar bears and walruses?
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It is so sad.
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Desperate.
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O no, we are starting to really feel the consequences of our love of coal and oil.
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“summer solstice pendulum.”
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Those cool waters that you provide is so thoughtful. Excellent haiku!
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Thank you.
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