I’m a couple of months late for my poem based on Taylor Swift’s “august,” but oh well. Time is a construct anyway. You can find the last piece from my poetic journey in the Folklore Chronicles here.
Mine to Lose
Oh, how that August summer slipped away.
Nights of High School Musicals and 100
chicken McNuggets. Days at Dania Beach and
the billiards table that was way too big
for my Florida room. How did those pastimes
become past times at McArthur High? We slipped
through it all like we had forever. Now forever is lost
in a memory.
The romance and nostalgia of Swift’s “august” felt like the perfect setting for a story of high school days told through poetry. While her take is more romantic in the traditional sense between two lovers, I’ve always felt there’s a certain sense of romance in friendship as well.
The song’s dreamy sound evokes a sense of taking a trip down memory lane. And that “never-ending summer” quality brought me back to my days between school years, hanging out with different friends. Growing up in Florida, summer meant days at the beach and nights watching movies.
There’s one summer in particular that stands out in my memory. It was the first when I branched out from my usual crew and made new friends. It’s not that I didn’t see my best friends still. But that summer between junior and senior year of high school, I engaged with others I’d only known in passing before.
In my poem, I look back at those days fondly. But there’s a bittersweet sense as well. After that summer, those friends and I didn’t stay in touch for much longer after high school. And yet, that doesn’t make those relationships or memories any less valuable. I’ve always believed that even if people come into your life for a brief time, it doesn’t mean they can’t make an impact.
I’ll always cherish that summer with those friends, even if we lost touch over the years. If anything, it makes the memories that much more poignant. It’s a reminder of how fleeting our time here is.
Thanks for following along! Comment and let me know what you think.