Summer in the Desert - Jan. 25, 2022

I skip and skitter barefoot

over frying pan tiles

wade the softly boiled water

to a chair on a concrete

beach find a glass tumbled

with ice and dive in

so hot today bird's tongues

hang and even ravens

have stopped complaining

and shade is small change

to the real currency -

air-conditioning

and the stars become

the coolest sight

I see

still sweating at midnight