104 in my car
104 on the porch
104 in the house
The dogs can’t walk straight
The birds give half-hoots and their whistling is waning
The trees don’t sway in the breeze,
they stand there looking at one
another, saying “What? They want us to offer shade?
No, I think not.
It’s far too hot.”
And so we sit, Drinks slipping out of fists
Beads of sweat pooling at the napes
of our necks like Mardi Gras throws that weigh too heavy
Matty, age 16
