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The Sum of All Summers

An Ekphrastic Sonnet

By D. J. ReddallPublished 7 days ago Updated 7 days ago 1 min read
Frederic Leighton, "Flaming June," 1895

“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” --Henry James

Your ravishing, royal recumbency

Curls warmly around all dreams of summer

Making cold an ugly profanity

And the sun a pretender, poor mummer

https://www.wallpaperbetter.com/nature-and-landscape-wallpaper/hot-summer-day-on-the-field-245312

With your soft orange, everything rhymes

No other curves are as fecund as yours

Your dreams make all others seem foolish crimes

Your rest ridicules all insipid chores

Stock Images, Royalty-Free Images, Illustrations, Vectors and Videos - iStock (istockphoto.com)

No oxymoron is your inert grace

More feline than any cat is your nap

Matchlessly eloquent: your silent face

Of the world you are, I would be a map

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Sovereign of sultry, sashaying sweetness

Your heat cooks fragments into completeness

Ekphrastic

About the Creator

D. J. Reddall

I write because my time is limited and my imagination is not.

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Comments (6)

  • Rachel S6 days ago

    Nice job!

  • Rachel Deeming6 days ago

    I love that painting. I love how it inspired this poem. I love your poem. How's that for a hat-trick?

  • Sasi Kala6 days ago

    Lovely poem! Love it ❤.

  • Oooo, I learned two new words today, recumbency and fecund! I loved your poem so much, especially these brilliant lines: "More feline than any cat is your nap" "Of the world you are, I would be a map"

  • Gerard DiLeo7 days ago

    So beautiful. You’ve done it again!

  • shanmuga priya7 days ago

    You have beautifully captured the true seance of summer...loved your poem!

D. J. ReddallWritten by D. J. Reddall

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