The summer heat in Texas
is not for the faint of heart
The sun climbs high
early on and beats
relentlessly all day
the mercury soars
into the stratosphere
I walk in the tree shadows
on the street
trying to escape
that blistering sun
cowboy ranchers
come to town
and say
“It’s hot as farrr”
Melted in my memory
I hear my grandmother
calling me
Get in here, you are gonna burn up!
inside – blinds shut
cool air
and sweet tea.
I remember long ago before
S…P…F…
playing outside
sun beating down
on my grandfather’s farm
walking through
that bleached sand
burning my feet, frying my toes
finally making it to the grape arbor….
I’ve seen northern folks
cringe and exclaim
Is it always this hot in this place?
I have seen some
from the deep south
complain
Mercy, this is unreal!
well go find yourself
a magnolia tree
we’ve got ’em here too
perhaps a tall lemonade
It’s not even that hot yet
August awaits like a golden promise
Heat Advisory
rolls across the TV screen
and from the distance
I’m digging in the flower bed
mining cannas and mondo grass
like I’m searching for a gold amulet
to flash back to the sun
and my once-native spouse says
You’re going to have a heat stroke out there
and I very well may
but not today.
The Heat is Gonna Kill Me
Published inPoetry
I guess you get used to it after a while?? Well drink plenty of water!
Yeah you do get somewhat use to it, and a big glass of water surely helps!
I’ll bet. We were in Vegas a while ago and it was so hot, we were rationing the water we took along.
After going through an historic drought, we are experts here at water rationing. Vegas would be a hot one!
We’re in the middle of a historic drought. Any pointers?
Here we went to low flow faucets, shower heads, faucets, Energy Star dishwashers, washing machines, no grass watering, catch shower and sink water to water plants…that’s a few. Then El Niño came through and our lakes filled up in two weeks, no kidding. I believe it will be heading to CA in a few months, seems like that’s what I heard. The drought was one of the worst things I’ve been through and sure created a depressing atmosphere for people.
Yeah, we already had DWP come in and do what they could for our apartment although my husband insisted on replacing the shower head they put on back with the old one because he wasn’t happy with his low flow shower…the rotter…that’s just in his bathroom though!!
Anyway, yes, it is depressing looking at those brown patches of grass not to mention limited outdoor water play for the kids!!
The heat is one thing, the humidity is a whole different beast – been in TX 14 years and I can’t deal with either!
Yes I know..Texas is a whole different thing, ha ha, for sure! Thanks for checking out my blog.
In Virginia last weekend it was cooler and less humid. Good weather indeed.
Well I’m jealous of that. My spouse has been in San Francisco wearing a jacket…I can’t even wrap my mind around it!
I’m not sure I could cope with continuous heat and humidity, simply because I’m not used to it. In the U.K. we’re desperate for sunshine every summer – and sunny days are a rarity some years. Rain days are what passes for summer here. lol Hope it cools down for you soon.
It’s a tough one for sure..All the natives handle it better, ha ha. I’ve heard it rains a lot in the U.K. I so want to visit and see all that wonderful history and countryside. My ancestors were Scottish, English, Scandinavian primarily. ..
Well most of us over here are a real mixture. I’m a quarter Welsh and a quarter Irish, before I even begin to think about what makes up the ‘English’ half. Probably a mixture of Anglo Saxon, Norse, and Norman, and even some Roman from way back. So any Americans with ancestors from over here will be similar. DNA testing sounds promising… 🙂
I’m sure you’d enjoy exploring all the old sites over here, Be sure to bring an umbrella and wellies, though! 🙂 I’m longing to see Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon (I’m a geographer and geologist by training). I know little about Texas, except for the oil and cattle – and the old TV series ‘Dallas’, of course.
Oh yes, the oil, cattle, and Dallas, ha ha.. well I can tell you that not everyone owns an oil well and after a long, historic drought not many people are consuming beef either. Not everyone drives a pickup truck, but there are a lot of those too. You should see the Alamo if you haven’t, but Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon sound fabulous!
The only Alamo I’ve seen is the Old John Wayne film. 🙂 But yes, the actual site would be wonderful to visit. The trouble with the USA is that its so BIG! I think I’d either need a very long holiday or visit several time. Still, never say never! One day, perhaps. Anyway, take care in the stifling heat out there – and I really enjoyed your poem. 😀
Thanks again Millie. Yes I guess the US is big and all of us Americans forget about that. Have a super holiday, and I will keep trudging on in the heat 🙂
Keep on writing, too. 🙂
Oh I PMillie..I will say though, it is hard to keep up. Many places will not allow you to submit writing if you “publish” it on your own blog. How unfair is that? People sure have to be busy these days, and let’s not forget about the job, such fun 🙂
I’ve heard a few warnings about posting material on a blog that you hope to publish one day – even short excerpts of it. I suppose it’s best to be on the safe side and avoid doing it. I agree wholeheartedly with what you say about keeping up. I find blogging very time consuming and, in your case, if you have a full-time job as well, it must be extremely difficult to find time to write. I imagine it’s a case of ‘burning the candle at both ends.’ As you say, ‘such fun’! 🙂
Yes its tough….I’ve always been someone with a lot on my list and have found time to always be flying by at the speed of sound (whatever that is)..ha ha.
It must be quite terrible, however, it is not better in Ontario, Canada at the moment. In addition to heat, we had abnormal humidity, and that just makes things even worse. Nice post!
Heat and humidity, the downside of summer. I didn’t know it was hot in Ontario though, Canada is another place I haven’t had the opportunity to visit yet. Thanks for the compliment and for visiting my blog.
Well said.
In the midst of monsoon season in the high desert where I live. Provides a nice break in the heat during late afternoons.
Thanks again. We just recently received a lot of rain, before that, we were in dire straits here. I’m all for anything that breaks the heat.
Your poem describes our Texas heat quite well! The rains are gone and the summer heat has set in. Thank you for choosing to follow my humble blog. I have enjoyed exploring yours and your writing – very inspiring. All the best to you!
Thanks for the compliment, yes the heat is here! I enjoyed your blog also and your beautiful cat (alas, I have six cats so it hit home). Thanks for visiting and following my blog 🙂
Hi…Wonderful post—Thanks so much for sharing with us! Florida—Summer heat and humidity…Sea breezes after an evening rain and we beach-walk and—while respite is short it is good…Thanks again—Phil
Thanks so much for the compliment. I am familiar with Florida, I love it. Thank goodness for those wonderful sea breezes. You even make the weather sound gracefully poetic 🙂
very nice poem… great comparison… liked this line a lot…
” the mercury soars
into the stratosphere ”
beautiful creation… 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind words. I also appreciate your visiting my blog and commenting. Glad you enjoyed it!
its always a pleasure to go through you beautiful creation mam… 🙂
I can relate, living in south Florida where the humidity chokes the life out of your lungs. Thank you for stopping by my blog. 🙂
Yes it does, I have lived in Houston and visited Florida many times. Beautiful state. Likewise, thank you for visiting my blog.
I can relate. Terrific poem
Thank you. Yes it’s a hot one, are you in the south also?
Oh I remember, you are the “reformed southern belle,” I love that, very clever indeed. Excellent poetry. Thank you for visiting my blog!
You are very kind. I’m enjoying your posts