Finalist

An Unexpected Guest

 

Happily, friends & neighbors gather,

Citizens of Weston, Massachusetts for our

Annual August Ice Cream Social.

Gossip & Children run freely.

Outside our library, throngs converge

Under hot sun

To cool down

With cups of sweet confection.

Overhead,

Clouds greet & hug also as if

To renew old acquaintances and make

New ones.

An unexpected visitor suddenly sweeps in.

Crystal drops fall with prism and shimmer

Announcing his arrival

Sending steam up from

Hot pavement.  Split.  Splat.

Some run for cover to become more

Familiar than anticipated.

Our unexpected but most welcomed visitor,

Charles, mingles as if one of the invited guests.

Charles, his polite self, naturally brings a treat-

Delightful sprinkles, an

Unusual but oh-so-refreshing topping,

Cooling everything and everyone

Then rushes off to keep a date with his namesake River

And melts us into his

Impressionist painting.

We’re caught laughing,

Drawn together into a Summer Spectacular

But for a moment, now a lasting memory savored.

Charles, come again. 

 

---

Emerald Wong, age 8

Weston, Massachusetts

Woodland School

Teacher: Katie Ledermann