The Halcyon Days

Unflustered epoch, warmer, bright, when all the world willed pure delight and games gave chase through afternoons on cloudless days in Mays or Junes: then, time stood furthest from the mind and spring was always close behind wherever winter served its worst. How we would hurry, sing, or burst into the yards, play hide or seek, watch butterflies, or climb to peek beyond the forest full of thrills to glimpse the mountain past the hills. We swore we would explore it all, run higher, deeper, like the ball one throws much further thanks to age. Impatiently we turned that page and scurried toward maturity, oblivious to misery. The vernal hours vanish fast. To those yet youthful: make them last! ____________________________________ New poem submitted to the Rhyming Contest https://www.poetrysoup.com/poetry/contests/rhyming_me__a_poem_2_15617 Prompt: Photo 3 (children playing outside) Date: November 7, 2021