Theme · 88 poems

Summer Poems

Long light, cut grass, and thunderstorms that clear by dinner: poems for the year's wide-open season. Shakespeare compared thee to it for a reason.

Summer holds a unique honor in English poetry: it's the season Shakespeare reached for when he needed the ultimate compliment to fall short — Sonnet 18 spends thirteen lines explaining why the beloved beats a summer's day. The haiku masters logged the season just as faithfully: cicadas drilling into rock, the short night, the smell of rain arriving on hot stone.

Summer poems run on the senses more than any others — heat shimmer, mown grass, pond water, the specific freedom of a day with no edges. Half of them are really childhood poems wearing sunscreen, which is why they ache a little even at their happiest.

LengthForm

August Afternoon

The QuillOak Editors

august afternoon —the garden hose, the shriekingjoy of being eight

3 lines · haiku

Cicadas at Dusk

The QuillOak Editors

cicadas at duskturning the whole heat to song —even the heat sings

3 lines · haiku

To see the Summer Sky

Emily Dickinson

To see the Summer SkyIs Poetry, though never in a Book it lie —True Poems flee —

3 lines · lyric

My Garden—like the Beach

Emily Dickinson

My Garden — like the Beach —Denotes there be — a Sea —That's Summer —

5 lines · lyric

A little Snow was here and there

Emily Dickinson

A little Snow was here and thereDisseminated in her Hair —Since she and I had met and played

8 lines · lyric

A soft Sea washed around the House

Emily Dickinson

A soft Sea washed around the HouseA Sea of Summer AirAnd rose and fell the magic Planks

8 lines · lyric

As Sleigh Bells seem in summer

Emily Dickinson

As Sleigh Bells seem in summerOr Bees, at Christmas show —So fairy — so fictitious

8 lines · lyric

Consulting summer's clock

Emily Dickinson

Consulting summer's clock,But half the hours remain.I ascertain it with a shock —

8 lines · lyric

How know it from a Summer's Day?

Emily Dickinson

How know it from a Summer's Day?Its Fervors are as firm —And nothing in the Countenance

8 lines · lyric

Lain in Nature—so suffice us

Emily Dickinson

Lain in Nature — so suffice usThe enchantless PodWhen we advertise existence

8 lines · lyric

Midsummer, was it, when They died

Emily Dickinson

Midsummer, was it, when They died —A full, and perfect time —The Summer closed upon itself

8 lines · lyric

Nature can do no more

Emily Dickinson

Nature can do no moreShe has fulfilled her DyesWhatever Flower fail to come

8 lines · lyric

Split the Lark—and you'll find the Music

Emily Dickinson

Split the Lark — and you'll find the Music —Bulb after Bulb, in Silver rolled —Scantilly dealt to the Summer Morning

8 lines · lyric

Summer is shorter than any one

Emily Dickinson

Summer is shorter than any one —Life is shorter than Summer —Seventy Years is spent as quick

8 lines · lyric

Summer laid her simple Hat

Emily Dickinson

Summer laid her simple HatOn its boundless Shelf —Unobserved — a Ribbon slipt,

8 lines · lyric

Talk not to me of Summer Trees

Emily Dickinson

Talk not to me of Summer TreesThe foliage of the mindA Tabernacle is for Birds

8 lines · lyric

The last of Summer is Delight

Emily Dickinson

The last of Summer is Delight —Deterred by Retrospect.'Tis Ecstasy's revealed Review —

8 lines · lyric

The Summer that we did not prize

Emily Dickinson

The Summer that we did not prize,Her treasures were so easyInstructs us by departing now

8 lines · lyric

'Twas here my summer paused

Emily Dickinson

'Twas here my summer pausedWhat ripeness after thenTo other scene or other soul

8 lines · lyric

'Twas later when the summer went

Emily Dickinson

'Twas later when the summer wentThan when the Cricket came —And yet we knew that gentle Clock

8 lines · lyric

Twice had Summer her fair Verdure

Emily Dickinson

Twice had Summer her fair VerdureProffered to the Plain —Twice a Winter's silver Fracture

8 lines · lyric

When Roses cease to bloom, Sir

Emily Dickinson

When Roses cease to bloom, Sir,And Violets are done —When Bumblebees in solemn flight

8 lines · lyric

Winter is good—his Hoar Delights

Emily Dickinson

Winter is good — his Hoar DelightsItalic flavor yieldTo Intellects inebriate

8 lines · lyric

The Succession of the Four Sweet Months

Robert Herrick

First, April, she with mellow showersOpens the way for early flowers;Then after her comes smiling May,

8 lines · lyric

Summer for thee, grant I may be

Emily Dickinson

Summer for thee, grant I may beWhen Summer days are flown!Thy music still, when Whipporwill

9 lines · lyric

The One who could repeat the Summer day

Emily Dickinson

The One who could repeat the Summer day —Were greater than itself — though HeMinutest of Mankind should be —

9 lines · lyric

Would you like summer? Taste of ours

Emily Dickinson

Would you like summer? Taste of ours.Spices? Buy here!Ill! We have berries, for the parching!

9 lines · lyric

It can't be "Summer"!

Emily Dickinson

It can't be "Summer"!That — got through!It's early — yet — for "Spring"!

10 lines · lyric

So much Summer

Emily Dickinson

So much SummerMe for showingIllegitimate —

11 lines · lyric

The Isle

Percy Bysshe Shelley

There was a little lawny isletBy anemone and violet,Like mosaic, paven:

11 lines · lyric

'Tis moonlight, summer moonlight

Emily Brontë

'Tis moonlight, summer moonlight,All soft and still and fair;The solemn hour of midnight

12 lines · lyric

As if some little Arctic flower

Emily Dickinson

As if some little Arctic flowerUpon the polar hem —Went wandering down the Latitudes

12 lines · lyric

As Summer into Autumn slips

Emily Dickinson

As Summer into Autumn slipsAnd yet we sooner say"The Summer" than "the Autumn," lest

12 lines · lyric

I know a place where Summer strives

Emily Dickinson

I know a place where Summer strivesWith such a practised Frost —She — each year — leads her Daisies back —

12 lines · lyric

On this long storm the Rainbow rose

Emily Dickinson

On this long storm the Rainbow rose —On this late Morn — the Sun —The clouds — like listless Elephants —

12 lines · lyric

Summer has two Beginnings

Emily Dickinson

Summer has two Beginnings —Beginning once in June —Beginning in October

12 lines · lyric

Summer—we all have seen

Emily Dickinson

Summer — we all have seen —A few of us — believed —A few — the more aspiring

12 lines · lyric

To her derided Home

Emily Dickinson

To her derided HomeA Weed of Summer came —She did not know her station low

12 lines · lyric

Summer in the South

Paul Laurence Dunbar

The Oriole sings in the greening groveAs if he were half-way waiting,The rosebuds peep from their hoods of green,

12 lines · lyric

Autumn Fires

Robert Louis Stevenson

In the other gardensAnd all up the vale,From the autumn bonfires

12 lines · lyric

Bed in Summer

Robert Louis Stevenson

In winter I get up at nightAnd dress by yellow candle-light.In summer quite the other way,

12 lines · lyric

The Summer Sun Shone Round Me

Robert Louis Stevenson

THE summer sun shone round me,The folded valley layIn a stream of sun and odour,

12 lines · lyric

From Sunset to Star Rise

Christina Rossetti

Go from me, summer friends, and tarry not:I am no summer friend, but wintry cold,A silly sheep benighted from the fold,

14 lines · lyric

Sonnet—To Science

Edgar Allan Poe

SCIENCE! true daughter of Old Time thou art! Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes.Why preyest thou thus upon the poet's heart,

14 lines · lyric

Happy Is England! I Could Be Content

John Keats

Happy is England! I could be contentTo see no other verdure than its own;To feel no other breezes than are blown

14 lines · lyric

To A Friend Who Sent Me Some Roses

John Keats

As late I rambled in the happy fields,What time the skylark shakes the tremulous dewFrom his lush clover covert;—when anew

14 lines · lyric

Written On A Summer Evening

John Keats

The church bells toll a melancholy round,Calling the people to some other prayers,Some other gloominess, more dreadful cares,

14 lines · lyric

Sonnet 102: My love is strengthen'd, though more weak in seeming

William Shakespeare

My love is strengthen'd, though more weak in seeming;I love not less, though less the show appear;That love is merchandiz'd, whose rich esteeming,

14 lines · sonnet

Sonnet 12: When I do count the clock that tells the time

William Shakespeare

When I do count the clock that tells the time,And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;When I behold the violet past prime,

14 lines · sonnet

Sonnet 5: Those hours, that with gentle work did frame

William Shakespeare

Those hours, that with gentle work did frameThe lovely gaze where every eye doth dwell,Will play the tyrants to the very same

14 lines · sonnet

Sonnet 54: O! how much more doth beauty beauteous seem

William Shakespeare

O! how much more doth beauty beauteous seemBy that sweet ornament which truth doth give.The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem

14 lines · sonnet

Sonnet 65: Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea

William Shakespeare

Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea,But sad mortality o'ersways their power,How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea,

14 lines · sonnet

Sonnet 68: Thus is his cheek the map of days outworn

William Shakespeare

Thus is his cheek the map of days outworn,When beauty lived and died as flowers do now,Before these bastard signs of fair were born,

14 lines · sonnet

Sonnet 94: They that have power to hurt, and will do none

William Shakespeare

They that have power to hurt, and will do none,That do not do the thing they most do show,Who, moving others, are themselves as stone,

14 lines · sonnet

Sonnet 97: How like a winter hath my absence been

William Shakespeare

How like a winter hath my absence beenFrom thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year!What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen!

14 lines · sonnet

Like Flowers, that heard the news of Dews

Emily Dickinson

Like Flowers, that heard the news of Dews,But never deemed the dripping prizeAwaited their — low Brows —

15 lines · lyric

Further in Summer than the Birds

Emily Dickinson

Further in Summer than the BirdsPathetic from the GrassA minor Nation celebrates

16 lines · lyric

Her final Summer was it

Emily Dickinson

Her final Summer was it —And yet We guessed it not —If tenderer industriousness

16 lines · lyric

Like Some Old fashioned Miracle

Emily Dickinson

Like Some Old fashioned MiracleWhen Summertime is done —Seems Summer's Recollection

16 lines · lyric

Ourselves were wed one summer—dear

Emily Dickinson

Ourselves were wed one summer — dear —Your Vision — was in June —And when Your little Lifetime failed,

16 lines · lyric

Common questions

What is the most famous poem about summer?

Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 — 'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?' — which then spends thirteen lines explaining why his beloved is better than the season.

What makes a good summer poem?

Heat you can feel: cicadas, cut grass, rain on hot pavement. Summer poems run on the senses, not the calendar.