They say that we worshipped the sun once –
bared our skin and lay for hours, motionless
except to turn and baste, baste, baste
like hog-roasts rotating on spits,
English rose complexions transformed to copper.
They say that we feared the winter then –
covered our bodies in chemically engineered layers,
refusing to let the crisp air penetrate,
wishing the dark days away,
as if time was ours to discard
with no consequences.
They say all this.
The world must have been different then.
———
Inspiration
‘Snow can lift my heart in a way that sunshine never could.‘
I have waited, and you have come
Martine McDonagh
———-
This week, on dVerse Poetics, Mary asks us to write poetry inspired by quotations – or by a photo, or by a headline in a newspaper, or, or, or… let’s get inspired!
I have used a quotation from one of my favourite dystopian novels, ‘I have waited, and you have come’ by Martine McDonagh. I highly recommend it! My poem is set in a future where the sun is to be feared, not welcomed…
Please pop over to dVerse to see how others have risen to the challenge!
Freya Writes... 
oh heck.. i could never lay for hours to roast in the sun and i envy the scandinavians a bit when they make sauna and then roll around in the snow – if they really do – that’s what i heard at least and it sounds like great fun…smiles… it would be sad when the different seasons one day disappeared because of global warming… i don’t even wanna think about it…ugh
Yes, I quite fancy a go at that myself! To lose all the seasons would be a tragedy…
Actually we only roll around in the snow to make Germans imitate us 🙂
Haha! I’m not making any comments at all… 😉
Was it that long ago 🙂 ?
Seems like yesterday that I used salad dressing on my arms 🙂
I remember my mum using baby oil… eek!
I prefer the summer shade.. under canopies.. Winter is too dark for me 🙂 but the quotes are marvelous and worth thought
Well, I imagine you have very dark, long winter nights in Sweden, so I’m not surprised! Thank you…
I hope we never get to see the world you describe. Your line about ‘English rose complexions’ made me smile. We in northern Europe have a tendency to turn to lobster whenever we stay too long in the sun.
I’m lucky – I have enough mysterious-to-me darker DNA connections that I don’t burn that easily. Yes, I hope too that my future projections are strictly fantasy.
Ha, I used to enjoy spending time sun-tanning. Now I enjoy the sun, but only when I have a particular activity to do in the sun…not just to LIE in it and tan! People have a much different mentality about the sun today than they did when I was younger indeed.
Goodness no, I could never lie in the sun either. Too much to actually ‘do’ in this world to do that!
Oh, I must be from back then. Indeed we California kids roasted ourselves “back then” and pay the consequences today. As for cold. I’m always freezing except when it hits about 90 degrees F.
It’s all about what we’re used to, I guess! I love the climate in San Francisco, but other parts of California, I expect would be way too hot. I love the cold, as long as I have the right clothes…
i will take autumn any day personally…smiles…ha…life was different…perhaps it was…perhaps it will be the long winter…or the endless summer that gets us finally…i guess i like each season for its own reason…..i dont know that i would want to do without any ot them….
I was born in the autumn so yes, it is my favourite season too. I also would prefer to retain 4 seasons, not just one, or two.
I love the scenarios of dystopian future, big changes are coming for sure ~ Life must really have been different then ~
So do I – I’m addicted to dystopia… as long as it doesn’t come to pass.
I enjoyed the futuristic tone of this poem – love the looking back.
Thank you, Sherry.
When I was young I used to lay in the sun. But what I was really doing was waiting for cute boys to come around. Now I know better and am too old to baste in the sun and I hate to shiver in the cold. Nice writing. Really enjoyed.
Aha – so you were obviously paying attention to what was going on around you, just pretending to relax! Thank you for reading and commenting, Myrna.
for me… I need to be doing something hiking, biking, gardening… but love that sun
Yes, I need to be active too.
I remember the days of basting . . . not now.
No, I couldn’t do it any more.
We are told, as I was by my dermatologist, that the sun has never been our friend. My tans of the 60’s became a cancerous mole in my 60’s; caught in time, but wised up beyond doubt; enjoy the warmth, avoid the radiation.
Oh yes, I agree. An old work colleague of mine lost his wife to skin cancer when they were in their early 30s – horrific. I’m glad yours was caught in time.
we are losing so many things lets not lose the seasons….beautiful lines coming from a distant time as it were…..
Thank you, Sumana. Yes, I think the seasons are an important way for us to keep track of the pace of life.
Interesting poem.. Skin cancer is a problem now with basting. English Roses cover up and then suffer defiency in vitamin D.
We are caught between a rock and a hard place, aren’t we?
Interesting and lovely poem. I enjoyed it 🙂
Thank you, Ayala.
sometimes we do worship what kills us.
Yep, too true.
I’m living in Mexico because I’m allergic to snow – but growing up in Canada, alas my heart
Now there must be some hot weather in Mexico!
This does have a futuristic tone to it … and summer shade with a breeze or a crisp fall day. The sun is not for me anymore.
No, I’m not a huge fan of the blazing sun – I don’t think I could live in a hot country!
“as if time was ours to discard
with no consequences”
Brilliantly done.
Thank you, Abhra.