Summer Afternoon

Summer afternoon is still hot Sun moves in blue sky Stinging and biting the earth Silence drifts in and out of mild breeze Like Earth's heart beating on ventilator I wish for heat to go away But it sticks upon white concrete With dead worms and skeleton bugs The spark of life that morning sun ignites Vanishes in afternoon heat Nothing seems to be moving In that pensive and harsh landscape The only soft touch comes from a pink Hosta Its green foliage Limping to survive the heat A glint of light flicker among leaves As a patch of cloud Moves in blue sky to cover the sun A shadow of dark spreads through Not so green a lawn Like a giant merciful hand To shade the burning earth A soothing balm for my own weariness I stand there to watch A fiery afternoon Getting subdued A gladness returning to tired heart.