Perfect Afternoon

Prompted by Rommy Cortez-Driks at Poets & Storytellers United:

https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/2025/06/friday-writings-183-perfect-afternoon.html

Components of a perfect afternoon

begin with a day's work early begun,

done singlemindedly, thus finished soon,

before the heat at zenith of the sun.

This perfect afternoon is shared by more

than one, though not all human need to be.

(Hens always have their days' work done before

midday, so mostly afternoons are free.)

A garden's always better than a lawn

and much can be said for a cherry tree

as place to rest and take one's ease upon;

the breeze is cool, a sound like distant sea.

A view of water, somewhere, anyway

adds something to the perfect afternoon,

whether viewed from the garden as in May,

or waded into in the heat of June.

There should be children, if they can be found.

There should be board games, tennis games, or boats.

There should be cold food eaten on the ground

and old songs with precisely rendered notes.

Perfection's not required every day;

pursuit of it is tedious, in fact,

but satisfactory afternooning may

be sought in every morning's conscious act.