Blinding Blue

The heat beats a slow pulse,
echoes back towards the sun.

Limp curtains, still afternoon,
monotone sky blinding blue.

Laughter in the gallery below
could be you full of irrepressible life.

I remember when we ran through
the traces before dawn, first lights

came on, cocks crowed, dogs desperate
barked. Afterwards bodies soaked,

we drank sweet tea, your face alive,
your wide-mouth white teeth smile.

[Written June 2019, revised May 2022]