I love it, this heat

The scorching sun that sizzles on tar roads

The searing metal of a seat belt buckle.

Sure we complain

One hundred and seventeen degrees Farenheit

Some sadistic streak lets us enjoy

The strolling walk in golf.

Our shade is the long pole shadow

Of a saguaro cactus

Our drink is in the Holy Grail

Of a mirage, untouchable

There is little more precious than a good glass of water

And a good deal of shade.

Short shorts in the winters

Leaking roofs in monsoons

Drenching pouring water that rolls off the windows

And into vapor

A few weeks later.

Green has but one shade here

A dull pale shrubbery

And sometimes purple, red, and blue

Are the new shades of our view

And they blend with the beautiful sunsets

Of the evenings in the desert.

For the sun brings much delight

Along with the heat

The way the brown mountains turn yellow

In its gaze

Blessing the flowers growing

At the very tops

Of twenty foot saguaro limbs.

The old guitar snaps its strings

When left a week

In the garage.

The cat must face the terrors

Of coyotes and bobcats

While we humans dread the little things

Scorpions

Smaller than a quarter

See-through and deadly.

The Javelina travels through the wash

In our backyard

To embark on a treasure hunt

In our garbage cans

And children learn to catch the little buggers

In the sand cones

Who knows what they’re called.

Swimming is a dangerous activity

For our poor feet

As they step on concrete.

I love it, this heat

Spray the sunscreen

Don the hat

I’m going outside to be under blue skies

Under the sun.