Heat enters on the longest day, squats
and belches its pleasure at green and humid
lushness. Heat smacks
its lips sipping nectar
under drowsy bees weighted with pollen
golden as sun peeking around dark clouds.
The rain is dangerous relief. Lightning
and thunder chase birds and heat across grasses
pounded flat and pebbled driveways parted
into rivulets and pocked with hail stones.
Later, in post-storm quiet, cool freshness
embraces skin, delights flaring nostrils
and invites mouths and petals to swallow.
Leaning into the aftermath, night bright
as day and short as possible, follows.
Copyright © 2015 S.L.Chast
I can feel the heat and enjoy the squatting and belching, LOL.......we long for rain here - everything is burnt to a crisp already.
ReplyDeleteThat first stanza is so vivid! As good as a description of the summer heat as I've read.
ReplyDeletePersonally I love summer storms, walking in the rain with welcome teardrops running down my cheeks. The sun and clouds laughing at us.This poem of yours reminding me of Greek gods in drunken revelry.
ReplyDeleteLater, in post-storm quiet, cool freshness
ReplyDeleteembraces skin, delights flaring nostrils
and invites mouths and petals to swallow.
Indeed, the storm comes as a relief after the scorching heat! Beautifully executed :D
Lots of love,
Sanaa
So many beautiful - and funny - images here...i love the personification..post storm freshness is indeed sweet as petals :)
ReplyDeleteSummer storms are wonderful. I am envious . Liked the second stanza with the rivulets and hail stones. Very evocative.
ReplyDeletedelights flaring nostrils - Love that, really captures the power and wonder of summer
ReplyDeleteah...this heat, rain, coolness really gives a fresh lease of life and they do seem to be made of beauty...love all the images so beautifully sketched....
ReplyDeleteI like the image of (dangerous?) heat smacking its lips sipping nectar...during the time I would guess the world is crying for relief. And then relief is found in those dangerous storms, storms like we had two days ago here. That lightning and thunder gives welcome relief, but the relief is fraught with its own danger. Vivid word pictures here, Susan.
ReplyDeleteI love this write, you captured summer perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI love the play of vivid characters you created in your poem... heat ' squats
ReplyDeleteand belches' , 'Lightning
and thunder chase birds and heat across grasses' ...I think we're blessed to swallow such delight! :)
aggressive personification of 'heat' with intense dramatic effects..your dramatic gift excels in poetic expressions creating harsh imagery at times..in squat' and belch' striking the reader powerfully..one is suddenly taken aback by the action..a strong poem reflecting the severity of heat' the winters seem more favourable...
ReplyDeleteI like mild storms as much as i like your poem. They seem to bring such cleansing and peace. I hope nature balances out soon and allows rain where it's most needed.
ReplyDeleteit really carries the moods of climate change...I loved the second para.....it is so lively...
ReplyDeleteLoved the way you wrote this...Susan. ....it just flows when you write..:) Liked many of the lines but this one stood out
ReplyDelete"....in post-storm quiet, cool freshness
embraces skin, delights flaring nostrils
and invites mouths and petals to swallow."-- Ah, I feel that 'cool freshness' ..Monsoon rains bring relief after the brutal heatwave here.
Remarkable peace...powerful expressions!! Oh, I loved this one. xoxo
Such a gorgeous poem! I can feel it all.
ReplyDeleteVery invoking, I feel hot just reading the first stanza.
ReplyDeleteHey Susan, this is another side of summer and I agree with everything you wrote. The summer rain is as dangerous as it can be when its thunderous roars visit occasionally during a week or day in June, July, and August. I love the visuals!!!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the great contrasts and transitions built into this poem, Susan! Thank you for the challenge. :)
ReplyDeleteI liked the personification of heat and the depiction of the Summer storm, which bring the poem to a climax, Susan. The longest day and shortest night are worked in really well. I enjoyed this one a lot!
ReplyDelete