•
curtains hang limp
at the front room windows
through which no breeze
has blown for days
only the sound of tires
crackling like slow-torn velcro
as cars roll sluggish
past our porch
tugging the molten tar patches
of our sizzled street
watering the roses
I see the gerbera daisies droop
panting in their porcelain pineapple pots
toasting on the withered wooden stoop
paint cracked and dry
scorched from neglect
even the silk plant on the kitchen sill
is wilted from the triple-digit heat
the glowing zeroes stare red
from the temperature display
like a pair of burning eyes
vacant as my baked brain
I bring the cool stream
from our garden hose
to quench my thirst
and moisten my parched lips
they do not smile
simmering deep in summer
• • •
rob kistner © 2010
My heart bleeds for you! Summer hereabouts has given way to chilly autumn already. I’ve just picked the first blackberries. You sure have a way with words: “crackling like slow-torn velcro”
brilliant!
Thank you Viv, you are always kind… today the weather is nice here in Portland, but we were “enjoying” 100 degree Oregon weather the beginning of this week…
…rob
Rob,
Intolerable. I agree with Viv, this is brilliant.
~Brenda
I appreciate your gracious words Brenda…
…rob
Some wonderful lines here, Rob. Strong imagery. You’re always a delight to read.
Maureen, you are always very gracious, and I appreciate that — very much… 😉
…rob
Intense description of a somewhere I don’t wish to be. I too, wilt with this kind of heat, was really glad when you got out the hose to wet your whistle. Really imaginative use of the words in the Wordle.
Elizabeth
Thank you ElizaBeth, glad to say the 100 degree days here have waned into 75 degree paradise… YES!!!!
…rob
I in partcular like the title. It’s more than just the flowers… we feek that way too! Extraordinary!
Thank you for the very kind words Diane…
…rob
Pardon me, I am on some one else’s computer. I meant we feel that way too!
Oh, shame — I liked the word feek Diane… kind of a combination of feel, and freak out… 😉
…rob
That is enough heat to make me shrivel up just reading about it 🙂
Hi Jinksy, nice to meet you — it was a scorching bit if time, but it has passed… 😉
…rob
You turned up the heat here. Lucky for you that hose is running cool.
It eventually was running cool, but it was HOT water that came through initially… oh hell yes… 🙁
…rob
well-characterized
Don’t you wish somebody would prompt us for Cool, Crisp Fall?
Now that’s a splendid idea Barbara… 😉
…rob
niceley writtten Rob…I thought it might be Wilt the Stilt poem…..ya been hot around here also….lots of forest fires…we have been lucky here…stay kewl my friend
Thanks — things have cooled off here Wayne, and I am hoping we’ve seen the end of summer scorchers…
…rob
I like the first two stanzas best — the Velcro sound is a terrific image. One wants to be surprised in the oppressive heat.
Thank you Deb, and isn’t nice that little heat wave passed — beautiful the past few days… 😉
…rob
I simply wilt in summers. This year it has been too long..
dances of the zeroes
I feel your suffering Gautami…
…rob
“like a pair of burning eyes, vacant as my burnt brain”. That captures summer heat perfectly!!!
Very good work here, as usual…
Thank you Cynthia…
…rob