by Cheryl, Gulf Coast Poet

Cicadas & Snowbirds

Cicada. Photo by Shannon Potter from Unsplash.

Cicadas & Snowbirds

Late September now…

Cicadas singing swan songs,

summer’s last hurrah!

Still rainy in Florida…

raindrops dripping from palm trees.

Photo by Roberto Vivano from Pexels.

Hurricane season

giving way in October…

Birds migrating south,

nesting and raising their young

in Florida’s bright blue days.

Photo by Marisa Howenst from Unsplash.

November. Snowbirds,

fleeing winter’s snowy blast,

also migrate south.

Their nesting days are over…

Grandchildren come to visit.

Photo by Tima Miroshni from Pexels.

Holiday visitors flock

to warm, Florida beaches

in sunny December.

On the beach with grandchildren.

Radio plays “White Christmas.”

Beach in Fort Myers, Florida. Photo by Sarah Granger from Unsplash.

January days.

Bermuda shorts and sweaters

on the golf course.

Delightful weather!

February…still golfing!

Florida Golf Course. Photo by Mick Haupt from Unsplash.

In March and April,

snowbird thoughts turn northward

to dogwoods in bloom.

Snowbirds take their flight

to their summer homes up North.

Dogwood Tree. Photo by Jonathan Hana from Unsplash.

May…hot and sunny.

Cicada chorus and rain

June through September.

Hurricane season waning.

Cicadas sing finale.

Cicada. Photo by Stephen Walker from Unsplash.

Copyright© 2021 by Cheryl Batavia

Katey and Joe Batavia visit their Snowbird Grandparents, Renee and Gabe Batavia. Boynton Beach, Florida, circa 1996. Photo by Cheryl Batavia.

52 Comments

    1. Mousoumi, I am so glad that you liked the poem and the photos. The last photo brings back fond memories of when my children were young and visiting their wonderful grandparents. I so appreciate your kind words ❤ Wishing you health and happiness!

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    1. Michel, Thank yous so much for your kind words. It means a lot that you found the poem joyful. When I first came to Florida in 1995, it took me quite some time to adjust to the climate. I was used to a very dramatic change of seasons in Virginia. South Florida does have a change of seasons, and I came to appreciate their subtleties. Wishing you and Janine a joyous autumn!
      Love ❤
      Cheryl

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  17. How lovely to hear about seasonal change in Florida! I had no idea about this. Our cicadas had stopped singing by late August, after our return from the UK, even though it was still hot. I’m not sure why, perhaps mating season was over! ❤️

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    1. Thank you, Ingrid, for sharing your experience with cicadas. Our cicadas are still going strong in SW Florida, but I think their mating season will be over soon. It roughly coincides with hurricane season here…June-September. Our change of seasons is quite subtle here, but I have come to appreciate it. I am glad you enjoyed the poem. ❤

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    1. Thank you, Eugi. I think we agree about Florida’s seasons. I have lived in Florida since 1995. It took a while for me to adjust to the climate after living up North for forty years, but I soon grew to appreciate it.

      The photo reminds me of happy times when my children were young and we spent time with my wonderful inlaws. I hope you are having an enjoyable weekend. ❤

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