2. I chose to dedicate this project to my older sister, for two major reasons: a
graduation present like no other, and a thank you for all the help over the years.
A sister is such a wonderful thing, it can’t be compared to anything in the world,
and there isn’t enough words to express that. An older sister is the rarest kind,
something she missed, but I lucked out with. It’s to explain and show all that
having an older sister amounts to. Which is such a wonderful thing, even if the
difference is a minute just knowing you have a sister who’s older than you.
Someone who’s beaten down all the walls, to show you all the tricks she’s found.
Someone you brag about to your friends, just because an older sister is
something beyond compare. All the poems in this power point are summer
related. Why? Because, that’s just what I think of when I think about you. I
think about summer, sand, sun, surf, and seashells. I think of sea foam, that
smell of saltwater that hits you as soon as you step outside or open a window,
when you’re in a fifty mile radius of the ocean. Even though you don’t have a
perfume that smells like that. In the end, summer might not have even started,
but when anyone’s around you, it’s still there. Hope you like the present! 

3. This poem is 100% you. Because when it’s about the first time each summer
when you’re at the beach and it feels like it’s been a decade since you’re last trip.
Right at that very moment where everything around you comes crashing down. The
point where you shut out all the noise, so you only hear the waves crashing and
whooshing around. Shift through the smells so it’s only that saltwater you’re
smelling. Key down the excitement so you can finally take it all in, and focus your
eyes on the real prize. Walk straight up to the water, and jump in. Because, at that
itty-bitty second of where your whole body is soaked in ocean, your feet hit the wet
hard sand and it’s all you can do to not scream of pure joy. In that little moment,
you’re summer truly starts. Not when school lets out, that is simply school ending.
Not the day on the calendar that marks the “first day of summer”, that is strictly of
official business and nonsense. Not even when it’s 90
some degrees out, and you’re stuck on the couch. It’s
just that blissful moment that this poem is supposed
to describe.

4. The reason I chose this poem to add to my project was
because of the way the author can capture the readers’ attention.
Stevenson describes the immense power of the sun, bringing the
readers to a world of their own, with the sun surrounding them
Great is the sun, and wide he goes
and making each moment last. Summer Sun by Robert Louis
Through empty heaven with repose;
Stevenson, was published in 1885 in the collection titled A Child’s
And in the blue and glowing days
Garden of Verses. The title symbolism is quite obvious as the
More thick than rain he showers his rays.
poem describes how overpowering and ostentatious the sun can
be. The poem takes the reader to each nook and cranny the sun
Though closer still the blinds we pull touches, leaving its golden rays in its place. There is a constant
To keep the shady parlour cool, rhyme scheme, of AA, BB, CC… and so on with each two lines
Yet he will find a chink or two rhyming. The poem’s mood is extremely captivating, especially in
To slip his golden fingers through. the upcoming moments of summer, which helps it fit into this
project so well. The author keeps the diction of old English giving
The dusty attic spider-clad an vintage touch. With words like “maketh”, “hay-loft” and even
He, through the keyhole, maketh glad; “parlour” with the English spelling.
And through the broken edge of tiles The poem aids the reader into the joyous moments of
Into the laddered hay-loft smiles. summer. Leaving them with that warm sun touched feeling on
their skin, as they think back to times spent in the sunshine.
Meantime his golden face around Which is exactly why I assumed you would love it so much. There
He bares to all the garden ground, is plenty of personification in this poem, Stevenson acts as if the
And sheds a warm and glittering look sun is a person of its own. Referring to the sun as “he” before the
Among the ivy’s inmost nook. last line that states the sun is “The gardener of the World”. The
tone in the poem is calm and soothing, with a hint of mischief. The
Above the hills, along the blue, sun’s mischievous and stubborn behavior as it breaks through
Round the bright air with footing true, every barrier put ahead of it gives the poem life. The poem is
To please the child, to paint the rose, hardly much, five stanza, each with four lines; however it doesn’t
The gardener of the World, he goes. take much words to warm the reader with the sun’s mesmerizing
glow. Overall I really did expect you to be able to bask in this
poems glory, just as much as the sun’s.

5. When I was writing this poem, I
kept thinking „about that time when…‟,
and just about a million different
occasions came into my mind. Yet, not
once did I ever actually grab the hose,
instead I just got hit time after time, as
you laughed away. This may be a
warning for the water wars to come,
although I think it sums up all the fun you
actually can have with water and colored
plastic. This poem brings you back to
that time you spent hours upon hours
filling up, tying, and placing the balloons
into all the different buckets. Or that time
you‟ve chased whoever you saw first
around with a squirt gun only to end up
with the perfect shot and no more
ammo. It‟s a fast-paced poem, just like
the actual experience, meant to force
your lips into that knowing smile that
reaches your eyes. Even if it‟s just a tug
at the corners, I hope this poem does
the water war memoires justice, and let
them flood back into your mind.

6. The poem Life’s A Beach by Patricia Polka is a free verse that
captures the love of being near the ocean. It is something I would
imagine to find you curled up with on the couch, trying your hardest to At the beach, life’s different.
plant yourself in the scene. The poem takes readers to the shoreline
using a few literally devices to paint the picture. The author adds in
Time doesn’t move,
personification in phrases like “The warm air dances around me”, similes Waves crash the ocean front,
in lines such as “Like being tickled by love” and foreshadowing “But
memories….Never do”. Polka summarizes a perfect day near the water, Kissing my feet.
with a mood that sets the poem in such a blissful state. Her descriptions Sea glass glistens in the sun,
conjure up the image of lying beside the tide, taking in the sun, sand, and
simply breathing. She gives her readers imagination room, which many The warm air dances around me
authors seem to lack in their work. Instead of being precise down to each Giving a new start to the world.
detail, she lets the reader’s mind drift and help create a paradise all their
own. The title symbolism shines through in this poem. The title Life’s A The sand tingles under my feet
Beach embraces the theme of the poem taking it to new levels. Polka
pulls out most of the unnoticed things when spending time at the shore.
Like being tickled by love.
When reading the poem she lets readers sit back for a moment and Laying on the beach shore,
realize that they as well come across the same effects. For example the
line “Time doesn’t move,” in hardly any memories is there a time
Tanning the day away.
stamped on the front, although no one seems to notice the missing The tans may fade,
aspect of something that is usually so important in life. It makes me think
of how memoires are set in two periods: night and day. It’s either water But memories
balloon fight we had “that day…”, or roasting marshmallows “the night Never do.
we…” Overall Life’s A Beach is a poem like no other, which is something
truly rare to discover.

7. Her Summer Components is more so a list of Ice pops.
all the things summer is filled with than an actual poem. T-shirts.
From ice pops, to lip gloss, down to fireworks, Worries, tucked under the bed.
everything is there. The reason I included this poem, Movies.
was to show all the things you collect over summer. The Good friends.
memories come from the list making, forgetting the School to her is dead.
most important thing each trip, and managing to still Packing.
have fun without it. Her Summer Components may be Unpacking.
Fun has come too late.
missing some things, like music, similes, although it
Sunglasses.
doesn’t lack in flow and tone. The rhymes play off all too Lip gloss.
well, and the mood simply sets itself. All because She simply cannot wait.
summer is now here, or soon to be at least. Fireworks.
Barbecues.
She knows it all too well.
Iced Tea.
Lemonade.
So ready, I can tell.
Flip flops.
Sundresses.
Her favorite time of year.
Kick back.
Relax.
Because summer is now here.

8. Sweet Summer by Wayne Jarus is just the poem that
explains summer days spent without a care. It simply is summer.
The way that Jarus‟s words flow evenly off each other, the calm and
tranquil mood adds to the poems relaxing effects. This poem was
always at the top of my list when narrowing it down to the five that
are included in this power point. Maybe the truth in the lines like
“We hoard happiness a smile at a time” and “And crickets sing in
motionless meadows” makes me think of all the joy that comes
along with summer. Besides the days spent near the water, the
ocean smell, and even catching fireflies that come with all the long
nights. Jarus also keys in a different style in this poem repeating
certain lines in each stanza. “A liquid sun beaming today and
forever” is repeated in each stanza and “Butterflies flutter in a
golden haze” is found in the two middle stanzas. Without most
readers noticing over four lines are repeated in the four stanzas
giving the poem the support it needs, and helping with the flow. The
repetition gives the poem all new meaning once you have noticed it,
which makes you look at the words in a different light.
“As thoughts in a calm mind” only makes me think of
you sitting on the porch at our grandparents‟ farm. Soaking in the
sun, earphones giving off soft hums of noise, and just taking in the
scene of the countryside minute by minute. “Lingering dreams and
afternoons of heat” bring back all the afternoons we sit around
mindlessly staring at each other reserving out energy for raising
glasses of lemonade and ice tea to our lips. Each line in this poem
brings back memories; it gives a chance for the reader to make it
their own, simply because of what it triggers in their minds. For me,
and hopefully you as well it will be the times spent doing nothing,
but for others it will be whatever brought them joy.

9. June Afternoon is meant to express that feeling of bliss once you finally
give into the craving you have had to struggle with for so long. The feelings of
excitement rising as summer crawls closer and closer each day builds until your
breaking point. When school finally lets out, summer is marked as here on the
calendar, and you have taken that first “start of summer” trip to the beach to
officially mark it as summer, it is all you can do to keep yourself sane. The power
of summer takes over just like the overwhelming need to indulge in the cool
watery goodness found at the bottom of the pool. The poem is meant to capture
that perfect moment when it is hot, not humid, sunny on the perfect level, and
just what you need to fill that summer craving you have suppressed all winter
long.

10. Country Girl, the two words bring one thought to your mind. A bright blue eyed, wavy blonde
hair, sweet southern smile girl on a horse with her beige cow-boy hat and matching boots on. You, sister,
however put that all to shame, when you walk up with your long straight brown hair, shiny brown eyes,
knowing smirk always in place, and one witty line after the other. You take the city smarts and add it to the
country style. Maybe that is just the results of growing up in two different worlds. Balancing country and city
life depending on the seasons, summer however is left purely for the country side in us to take over. That is
saying a lot of a bunch of city kids, though once we get to those winding back roads, the corn field farms,
manure filled air, clear blue skies, and barn chores even when on vacation it all comes crashing down. The
cow-girl in you takes over, and you fall into step
with the country life, sunny skies, and pastures
dotted with dairy cows. The poem Country Girl
by Jacqueline Coelho seems to take the best of
the country time and spin it into a lovely poem. She's just a Country Girl
The details put into the poem don’t go to waste, With her blonde hair down and a smile on,
as it takes back any farm raised child, and makes She's got her hands in her pockets of her wrangler jeans.
a new world for the strictly city goers. Coelho
does a wonderful job at setting the right mood, Scuffs on her boots from all the mud,
tone, and even the diction. The poem’s structure Wind on her face from the summer breeze,
is an interesting one as the stanzas go three, four, While laying in the grass looking up at the stars,
three, two climbing up one step then declining two Thinking about love and being in his arms,
steps. Country Girl is much more than a simple Jason
Aldean or Luke Bryan song, or anything along the lines From being on the farm, to in a store
of horse themed movies. It is the truth behind a true Jeans and a hat are always wore,
country girl’s world from the first line to the last. From country to rock, this country girl never stops.
She'll dance in the rain, but never will walk in shame
She's just a country girl loving life.

11. “Stiff as a log, I won’t leave the
couch” pretty much sums up those lazy dog
days of summer. The poem is supposed to take
you back to the days that you swore would
never end. That annoying, wish I could be
anywhere but here moment that when you
think back to you can only laugh. Almost always
taken for granted and so easily forgotten those
days that you spent wishing would be over is
the one thing you end up longing for once they
are nowhere to be seen. The times we spent
lying on the couch counting the minutes, or out
on the grass counting cars and trying to find
shapes in the clouds, oh the things you would
do to pass the time. Lazy Days is meant to bring
all that back, so you can finally see the silver
lining in those long hours, the ones you will
never forget, the ones we spent together.

12. Fireflies on a Moonless Night is a short poem describing the journey of a firefly. I figured you
would love this poem, it is about something everyone cannot help but get excited over, and it is so rare that
you would come across a poem about the little lantern bugs. It would be seen more as a child’s poem with
lines like “Perpetuating their magical schemes”, however with a diction focused on an older audience it is
clearly meant to bring back childhood memories. The speaker in the poem tells about how they could simply
sit and watch the fireflies dance about the night “Till early light, without a care” showing how much it is
aimed to draw on those happy times. The speaker in the poem is reminiscing in times forgotten describing
the bugs as “pixies and fairies, in a world of dreams” as they reach untouchable places in both the readers
and speakers hearts. Olivarez does an excellent job at
bringing back those summers spent catching fireflies and
putting them in a jar, keeping them as your personal stars.
Olivarez takes readers on a trip “Flying in their magic realm”, Fireflies on a moonless night,
watching the fireflies take over the night sky and making it Neath the canopy of trees.
their own. The title symbolism is not something you would Tiny lanterns all in flight,
unravel before reading the full poem. Fireflies on a Moonless Carried on the evening breeze.
Night could simply be seen as a literal perspective. However,
there could be a more symbolic meaning behind it. Fireflies are Like pixies and fairies, in a world of dreams,
known as stars of their own, they are summer stars that light up Flying in their magic realm.
the night. They manage to take control of the darkness, and the Perpetuating their magical schemes,
moon and stars fade away as you solely concentrate on the little Your earthly senses overwhelm.
critters. The reason it would be titled Fireflies on a Moonless Night
showing how the bugs take control over the night leaving I could just sit and watch all night,
everything else to fade away. Even though it is only a few words, The fireflies in the air.
five stanzas, four lines each, Olivarez creates a world of flying Underneath the stars so bright,
blinking lights in the text that draws you back to a time back then. Till early light, without a care.
The poem was the final touch to add to a power point that
concentrates on summer, because each great summer day, needs something to light up the night as well.

13. Stevenson, Robert Louis. "Summer Sun." About.Com Poetry. N.p.,
1885. Web. 8 May 2012.
<http://poetry.about.com/od/poems/l/blstevensonsummer.htm
Jarus, Wayne. "Sweet Summer." About.com Poetry. N.p.,
2008. Web. 8 May 2012.
<http://poetry.about.com/library/weekly/bljarussummer
Polka, Patricia. "Life's A Beach." Poetry in Nature. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 8 May 2012.
<http://www.poetryinnature.com/nature/poetry.asp?poem=5482>.
Coelho, Jacqueline. "Country Girl." scrapbook.com. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 8 May 2012.
<http://www.scrapbook.com/poems/doc/45967/126.html>.
Olivarerz, Jaun. "Fireflies On A Moonless Night." poemhunter.com. N.p.,
16 Jan 2012. Web. 8 May 2012.
<http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/fireflies-on-a-moonless-night/>.
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