To the east of Ireland it is still dry and warm. Friends in England, both north and south, are melting in temperatures approaching 31C. But here in the ‘wesht’ of Ireland autumn is showing signs of arrival. While it is certainly clammy weather, the mercury is still hovering around 18C/62F. It’s close, but not overly uncomfortable. I am looking out at rain.For which I am grateful since we had quite the dry conditions until August this year. More hard rain and flash flooding and less soft rain altogether. The climate is looking less clement everywhere. Today’s prompt from 30 Days of Summer Writing Challenge is ‘Summer Nights’. I certainly have been remarking to myself the necessity of switching on the electric lights comparitively early these days. Partly this is low cloud and rain, but the nights are drawing in. From our cottage the late summer has a distinctly autumnal feel.
Towards September
That sometimes of the summer bonus
with its daytime heat then nightly chill
crimsoning the house's creeper
Brings its surprise of electric light,
the clock saying eight o'clock
though we do not draw curtains
and windows are open for a draught
The spiders are full of industry
battening us with their silken nets
though the sunflowers stand
and face forward the setting sun
Soon equal light and equal night
the year cranking itself around
for a new season's wardrobe
shaking the sweaters out
Releasing clouds of cloth moths
the crane flies climbing the walls
legging it along ledges
watching moths flutter, beat their wings
Their sizzle, bumping and bumping against
the heat of electric light bulbs
blasting into long inky nights
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Sojourning Smith 