Down South

Brown afternoons, the heat overbearing
asphalt sizzling beneath bare feet swearing
the Sun stretching, to blind out the breeze
can't see it coming, 'less you look to the trees
/sidewalk chalk melting and bare popsicle sticks
sprinkler systems blurring, playing mirage tricks
burned skin and lemonade glasses share sweat
between pie baking, sweet tea making, and a swing set
/suddenly, listen closely, as dry breaths subside
and down pours the rain, blue moisture collide
/children start dancing to rain's broken rhyme
while others go running indoors to save dry
/footprints stamp mudprints across dehydrated earth
and the turn of the world de-rusts its clockwork
/all is soon quiet, just a bicycle left unattended
soaked between raindrops that easily descended
/the pavement starts reacting, clouding roads somehow
good thing the world doesn't need me right now
/so I stay in my place as the South relaxes, revive
and I tilt my face upward, close aquamarine eyes.