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| Photo by C. Parant, used with permission |
In middle of fourth
or fifth heat wave,
<I’ve lost count>
feels like one long one
never-ending…
Air hangs heavy,
a lone cicada sings;
nothing else moves,
even crickets are silent.
Smallest exertion prompts
rivulets of perspiration,
trickling down temples,
nape, small of back.
With no announcement,
shower flashes through.
Seeking nearest shelter,
we watch as needed rain
pummels against windshield.
For a brief moment
we believe reprieve
has arrived…
…until sun returns,
steam rises from pavement,
and we find ourselves right
back to where we started
... once again.
... once again.
© Ginny Brannan August 2012
Written for d'Verse Poets Pub Meeting the Bar: Impressionistic Writing.
*Special thanks to Charlie Parant for permitting me to use his photo image:
"Girl waiting out thunderstorm at a farm stand, taken through the rainy windshield #2"
To see this and many more amazing images, check out Charlie's blog at: 
Awww... we've had a bit of a heatwave going on now for about a week. Way too hot for me and my little dog. Isn't it lovely to have the rain though.
ReplyDeleteLoved your word painting.
Ginny I didn't see your name on the linky listing at dVerse, did you forget to link it there?
Thought I linky'd in at #13! Thanks for catching this!
Deletei just put your name in...just caught your comment and thought i did not see you on the list...got you there now...now i will go back and read...smiles.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Brian. Long HOT day here. Guess I missed hitting "enter" completely!!
Deleteugh...yeah, i feel you here...the worse was during the power outage...i can handle it if i can get sips of cool air occassionally....i keep hearing its going to be fall soon...smiles....the humidity here is what is killer...
ReplyDeleteBoy, I can relate, Ginny. It's near a hundred every day here, but even so, it's better than it was last summer. We were literally burning up in Texas last summer. But, hang in there, fall is just around the corner!
ReplyDeleteI've been living this, and you've captured it perfectly!
ReplyDeletea lone cicada sings;
ReplyDeletenothing else moves,
Oh, that screams a hot summer evening! I hope relief comes soon!
Cicada, just one. wow. nice poem...made me sweat though.
ReplyDeleteI used to called cicadas "heat" bugs-- here in N.E. you'd only hear them when it was really hot, but only the sound of maybe one insect at a time,and it would stop before cycling again. I lived on L.I. for five years and the noise of the cicadas in summer was loud and constant, almost like a really loud sprinkler all day long: chickachickachickaCHICKACHICKACHICKAchIckachickachickaCHICKACHICKACHICKA-well, you get the idea!!! Quite overwhelming, you couldn't get away from the sound. I'll take my "lone" cicada any day over that!!
DeleteAir hangs heavy,
ReplyDeletea lone cicada sings;
nothing else moves,
even crickets are silent... could really feel this... the silence that hangs in the air...well done ginny
The sweet rain of deliverance ever welcome, ever short
ReplyDeleteThose summertime showers can come up unexpectedly, but are much appreciated. I'm so ready for cooler weather.
ReplyDelete