This Summer

Painted toenails gild tanned feet
flip flop tanline intact
Air thick with the smell of vibrant things
a trail of sweat runs down my back

Sundress hiked up and tied to miss
terra disturbed by my task
water wakes up with a gurgle and spit
flowers come alive and bask

"Mama" comes scratching, cluck cooing low
drawn by the sound of the spray
knowing full well that the watering brings up
the worms at this time of day

Neighboring fields bring the swish of a tail
a hoof stamps the ground in a game
Calf moos hello to the horse in the next field
horse seems to whinny back the same

Dragonflies flit and tease on the pond
trout hover close to the surface
toads bellow from behind the frond
nothing is here without purpose

Decorations, the flowers, are sated for now
the water diverted to the yard
the garden is next with its rows hand plowed
and the trees in the back standing guard

A cool breeze blows refreshing and sweet
lifting the curls at my neck
a look to my wrist: no deadlines to meet
just a climb up the stairs to the deck

Hands rest on hips as lungs taste the air
eyes closed on sunflower face
wishing that life could always be here
in this moment, this summer, this place

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