A Summer Day Gone


Heat of the July sun
burns into pavement
The ice cream shop on the corner,
a refuge from
90 degrees,
is cold when you first walk in,
but, outside
the ice cream is a puddle at your feet
in seconds.

The little league field
is surrounded by trees
lush with leaves.
In the early morning sun
small slivers of light appear
on the ground.

When the sun goes down
we go back to the little league park
when no one is there.
We sit on bleachers
That are metal
and cold to the touch.
When the sun goes down
over the horizon,
then I walk home,
and the same pavement
that was once burning hot
is cool.

There is the sound of crickets humming, and
fireflies dance around,
as if they were the grand finale of a show.
It is cooler,
but the gentle breeze against my bare skin
is still warm.
I pass a father and son
playing catch in their front yard,
and a man
mowing his lawn.

Right then I know that the next day,
it will be hot again.
And I will go back again.
As I will every day,
in my summer that lasted
a small eternity.

by K. M., Congers, NY