The beginning of summer prompts memories of the late Maine singer-songwriter David Mallett.

Perhaps it’s these wistful lyrics of seasons gone by.

In the shade of this old tree / In the summer of my dreams / By the tall grass, by the wild rose / Where the trees dance, as the wind blows.

As the days go, oh, so slowly / As the sun shines, oh, so holy / On the good and gracious green / In the summer of my dreams.

Or maybe these from “The Garden Song,” recorded by Pete Seeger and John Denver.

Pullin’ weeds — pickin’ stones / Man is made of dreams and bone / Feel the need to grow my own / ‘Cause the time is close at hand.

Grain for grain, sun and rain / Find my way in nature’s chain / Tune my body and my brain / To the music from the land.

In these divisive times, David Mallett is to Maine what Bruce Springsteen is to the United States. As Clay Hipp suggested in his recent tribute in the Portland Press Herald (“In praise of David Mallett, a folk singer like no other“), Mallett was a patriot.

Born and raised in Sebec where, after a 10-year stint in Nashville, he returned to raise his family, Mallett’s music unites us by honoring hardworking families who gain their living from the sea, farmlands and the state’s once booming factories.

These lyrics are from “Arrowsic”:  Early each morning with the sun barely risen / With dreams of a lost love and no sign of fear / He heads for the ocean in lumbering stride /  And he sets out to sea with the sun in his eyes.

Ah, but no one works harder than the farmers and fools / And you can’t learn the business in your books or your schools / You just take what it gives you and give what you can / But a man could be worse than be one with the land.

And in “The Last Farmer’s Ball,” he offers a lament for Maine’s industrial past:

In this town there ain’t much to do / Used to make paper used to make shoes / Now we all sit around and watch the reeds grow tall.

There ain’t no money in that. / Might as well just pass the hat. / Take the cash and head on down to the mall.

The last time I saw David Mallett perform was two years ago in Cape Porpoise at a benefit for our town’s land trust. He was older, sure, but his voice was as pure as salt winds off the sea.  And we enjoyed listening to his reminiscences about summers past when he played nightly at a local watering hole.

Though his set that night contained staples from his 50-year repertoire, Mallett continued throughout his life to write songs with contemporary relevance.

“Celebration,” written in 2016, is an anthem to our times and fitting for the recent July Fourth celebration as our nation observed the 250th anniversary of the events that led to our independence.

Sometimes you just don’t feel like trying / Too many politicians lying / Too many hungry babies crying / Too many random bullets flying. / Too much time spent in struggle / Too many kids in trouble / Too many cities gone to rubble.  / Too many people talking double

This can’t be our destination / This could be a better nation / We can change the situation / Need a brand-new generation / This could be a celebration now. NOW.

Mallett’s final stanza challenges us to action.

Too many people looking down / Too many closed-up factory towns/ Too much high-priced propaganda / Too much sadness in this land of dreams / That once could all come true / Now it’s down to me and you  / Tell me what you gonna do?

Perhaps the best way to honor David Mallett’s memory lies in how we answer that lingering question.