Poem: June

A spoonful of June, heaping and full

Jul 01, 2024

Happy last day of June!

This month feels like it has simultaneously lasted forever and zipped right on by.

June, for me, has always meant to go to my family’s timeshare up in North Idaho. My dad’s family has been going to the resort on the lake since he was 13, so it’s been a big part of my life. In many ways, it feels like my childhood is just bottled up there, and each year, we get to back and crack it open again. This year was the first year Jonny has come with me! It was so fun to share it with him.

There are pine trees, a big beautiful lake, and extended family traditions like trivia night, a potluck, and a paddleboat competition where you capture plastic frogs with nets (trust me — it’s a big deal).

When reflecting on the month, I just kept thinking about how magical June is. Even the name — June — sounds so full and warm.

In light of my Mid-Year Resolution to create more, I took the time this afternoon to illustrate this month’s poem. Enjoy :)

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Spoonful of June

Grab a big bowl, no not that one, bigger!
Yes, there we go. 

We’ll start with the basics — 
long days, warm nights, lightweight fabrics.

Add in a few cups of summer heat,
A tablespoon or two of cool water,
And a few dozen lazy days.

Don’t forget the hot car rides with the windows open, 
hands bouncing in the breeze.

Combine that with family traditions 
that glimmer a bit when you shake them.

Gently fold in the sunsets, 
the acoustic covers, 
the nights out on the dock.

Whisk in the wistfulness, and
Throw in sprinkles of nostalgia, just for good measure.
Let the flavors combine; mix it all together.

With twinkle lights above us,
And our bare feet beneath us,
We’ll sit around in plastic chairs on the patio.

Give me a spoonful of June,
Heaping and full.

We’ll laugh at the way things were,
Wonder at the way things are,

And share June together, slowly.

(It goes best with some crackers and milk)