Poem Title: I am a Summer Child
Every poet has that one piece of work that acts as a manifesto. For Julie, “I am a summer child” is that. Unlike poems that lean into mystery or melancholy, Julie describes the tone of this piece as declarative.
“It’s very much a ‘this is me’ poem,” Julie says. “It’s about establishing identity.”
By using the symbols of sunlight and heat, Julie creates a metaphor for the kind of person who doesn’t just endure the intensity of summer but actually thrives in it.
When asked about her favorite imagery in the poem, Julie pointed to a line that perfectly captures the physical sensation of a sweltering afternoon:
“born as heat rose from sidewalks and roads shimmered in the air, a mirage”
This isn’t just a description of weather; it’s a sensory experience. Julie’s goal is to pull the reader into her world—to make them feel the humidity and the rising heat. She wants the reader to walk away not just having read words, but having felt the atmosphere of her birth season.
One of the most beautiful things about Julie’s work is how it invites the reader to look inward. While she is a “summer child,” she hopes her poetry prompts you to consider your own seasonal connection.
“Will people think about which of the seasons they connect to the most? I’d like that,” she shares.
Whether you find your soul in the first frost of winter, the rebirth of spring, or the shimmering heat of a summer road, there is a place for your voice in the poetic landscape.
If you enjoyed the sensory depth of Julie’s work, you can find more of her poetry in her collection, “My Tears Like Rain,” available now on Amazon.
Verseve Community Prompt: Are you a summer child like Julie, or do you thrive in the quiet of winter? Tell us which season defines your writing on bluesky or threads tagging @gabriellev.art
