Summer's End

Face it, man, the heatwave's over,
Storms will soon the drought amend.
Still in shorts? You must be frozen!
Stunned by summer's sudden end.

Sort out thermals, gloves and jumpers,
Think winter now, for winter's near,
Stash canoes up in the rafters '
They won't be needed 'till next year.

No more the gentle glide downriver
Through clear, deep pools of waving green,
Over babbling, stream swept shingle
Enjoying ever-changing scenes.

Forget the swaying reeds and grasses,
The haughty majesty of swans.
The heron, steady as a statue
Will still be fishing when you've gone.

The awesome reds and rays of sunset
In transient beauty light the mere,
But you'll be watching television,
Cosied up in winter gear.

You've done with quiet, secluded moorings,
Scoffing lunch and drinking tea,
Browning in the midday sunshine
Unheeding UVA & B.

You're free of dozing fishermen
With rods so long that, truth to tell
If they would sit the other side
A three-foot rod would do as well.

So dream no more of mirrored willows,
The brainless, baleful stare of cows,
Fishes darting in the shallows,
The chuckling wave beneath the bows.

Autumn's digging now awaits you,
And lists of long-neglected bores.
Though your heart's still on the river,
Keep your mind on winter's chores.