And what is so rare as a day in June?
Then, if ever, come perfect days;
Then Heaven tries earth if it be in tune,
And over it softly her warm ear lays;
Whether we look, or whether we listen,
We hear life murmur, or see it glisten …
—James Russell Lowell
It’s rare indeed for June to arrive in Harvard as gracefully as it has this year. With a few exceptions, the weather has remained cool, the skies frequently sunny, and our landscapes bursting with blossoms and new growth. As this reflection is being written, Harvard’s students are wrapping up their last day of school and will soon be dispersing for summer vacation.
It’s a time to get outside to walk one of the many trails maintained by the Conservation Trust and by Fruitlands (maps are available at their websites). Soon the beach will open (see the story in this week’s paper), one of the town’s most treasured locations, great for an early morning read of the Sunday paper, a rowing lesson, or an afternoon swim.
Sure, there’s enough controversy in the country and state (and yes, in Harvard, too) to distress any concerned citizen. But there’s beauty in our town, and Harvard residents are blessed to live in such a place, the legacy of visionary town leaders who saw themselves as stewards of Harvard’s fields, forests, and rocky hillsides.
As the poet wrote, it’s a time to look, listen, and hear life murmur.
