Middle School
Julyby Susan Hartley SwettWhen the scarlet cardinal tellsHer dream to the dragonfly,And the lazy breeze makes a nest in the trees,And murmurs a lullaby,It's July.When the tangled cobweb pullsThe cornflower's cap awry,And the lilies tall lean over the wallTo bow to the butterfly,It's July.When the heat like a mist veil floats,And poppies flame in the rye,And the silver note in the streamlet's throatHas softened almost to a sigh,It's July.When the hours are so still that timeForgets them, and lets them lieUnderneath petals pink till the night stars winkAt the sunset in the sky,It's July.What do the noises that the speaker calls outthe lullaby the breeze murmurs and the soft sigh of the streamletrepresent in "July"?A. the speaker's desire to break from the laziness of summerB. the startling beauty of summer daysC. the peacefulness of the long, slow days of summer.D. the intense heat of mid-summer days