Lamenting Summer

I never noticed until today
that summer has now gone away;
gone the birds, gone the bees -
honeysuckle and green leaves.
Somewhere in a month or week
went the sunshine, went the heat.
I'm not sure why I didn't note
the shorter days and nights of cold.
Where are the children laughing loud?
The scent of flowers, bright and proud?
Swimming pools or a sprinkler hose,
shorts, skirts, and bare-naked toes.
Sunblock, suntans, beach towels too,
I miss summertime trips to the zoo.
Six Flags, ice cream trucks, bubblegum;
all fading fast with the waning sun.
And though fall explodes with a shout -
it is summer I hate to do without!
Keep your wind, snow and freeze,
autumn colors and springs of green,
give me blazing summer heat,
and sultry memories, bittersweet.