It is that dry, restless time of year
up goes the cider apple cheer for the sake
of an opaque and mellow mildewed season
no rhyme nor reason nor fellow feeling
for summer's stealing away without a bow
out comes the plough now harvester
has baled hectometres of ripe eared wheat
trampled by crow feet gleaners flattening
earth and worms and fattening in the gut
a thanksgiving glut before the fallow fast
nothing outlasts the annual treadmill
but 'til daisies bloom at damp-eyed Michaelmass
relish the impasse of worn out green to gold
September's stranglehold; silent robin knows how
far past summer is from the bough
©Laura Granby 2016
Walt takes a comprehensive look at all aspects of rhyme and asks us to make use of this poetic musicality with optional reference to autumn in all its senses @ Meeting the Bar – the reason for rhyme
PoetryPix 
the inner rhyme works wonder here….so gorgeous writing…”summer’s stealing away without a bow” …love this…
than you Sumana – you picked up on the feeling of the long goodbye – am reluctant to entertain autumn until I have to
Oh I do love the way you have nested the rhymes here, so subtle, and I think it adds a somber music to your writing about the autumn.
Had not noticed the somber aspect Björn but it suits!
Not yet ready for autumn’s golden colors. I specially like the ending lines:
relish the impasse of worn out green to gold
September’s stranglehold; silent robin knows how
far past summer is from the bough
Nor me Grace – not til Michaelmas – nor does robin who is merely practicing in low murmurs
trampled by crow feet gleaners flattening
earth and worms and fattening in the gut
a thanksgiving glut before the fallow fast
This takes a lot of thinking, when it involves the inner rhyming, flattening/fattening/thanksgiving then gut/glut. Hank finds end rhyming simpler to handle. Great lines Laura!
Hank
Not used to rhymes but enjoyed this challenge Hank
Gorgeous work on the inner rhyme, Laura ❤
Thanks Sanaa -,might try to include this method more often
What a brilliant write about the ending of summer. The internal rhyming works so well.
thanks Bryan and thanks to the prompt have discovered the subtlety of the internal rhyme like tints of autumn peeking through end of summer days!
I love the rhyming pattern you establish in this, Laura–not to mention the spot-on sense of this season. Lovely.
with this one am sticking with summer til the bitter end – thank you Victoria
Such a rich tapestry of season and anticipation, reluctance and so vividy worded with spectacular aplomb and imagery. Really lovely, soft interlaced/internal rhyming.
phew! thank you so much for your lovely generous words
Much deserved, so my pleasure.
Your work here is superb, Laura. The rhyme is beautifully offered and never feels forced or contrived. I love this piece!
I appreciated your prompt which opened up many possibilities of rhyme & will use them much more in future – thank you Walt