Written for Bartholomew’s Living Poetry
where we are asked to write a poem using
the words ‘black’, ‘govern’, and ‘solstice’.
Here’s where the prompt took me.

Solstice marks the longest light,
Light fades slowly into night,
Night cloaks hills in deepest black,
Black ravens trace the moonlit track,
Track winds round the governor’s hall,
Hall echoes the blues with an empty call,
Call answered by the wind alone,
Alone we drift toward the dawn,
Dawn breaks sultry on this summer morn,
Morn returns where we were born,
Born anew as seasons turn,
Turn again to summer solstice.
NAR©2026
Nancy’s Notes: Daisy Chain, where the last word in a line becomes the first word of the next line and to end the poem, the last word is the same as the first word.
This is “Summertime Blues” by The Who
Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.

A beautiful poem! 🤗🤗💜💜
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Thanks, CA. I appreciate you being such a faith reader and friend 😊
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Excellent Nancy, I like what you said and the way in which you said it!
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Wonderful comment, dear Keith! I certainly can’t ask for more than that. Thank you! 😀
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Solstice is celebrated here because the return to darkness is real- I just see it as one day closer to having to navigate life in the snow again! hehehe
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That is a phenomenon I can’t wrap my head around …. something that needs to be experienced firsthand to know what it’s like.
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Beautifully written sis
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Love this chain poem Nance it’s a very difficult form to execute but it works perfectly with the subject mirroring the cyclical nature of the seasons 🙌
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Well done, Nancy! Thanks for writing to my three-word prompt.
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Is that you, Bartholomew? Thank you! It’s always a pleasure.
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Beautiful! Love the long days!
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Merci! Me too, and the lovely sunsets 🌅
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Stunning. Love the style you used on this. 🤗
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Thanks for your very kind words, Joni. Much appreciated 😌
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You are so welcome Nancy. My pleasure for sure. 🤗
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very engaging chain/looper. Salute
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Thanks so much, Ron.
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