July 1

Now, brash summer arrives,
Banging loudly at the door, 
Letting the screen slam shut
As it rummages through the fridge
For fresh lemonade.
It won’t listen to reason, it throws
Lit firecrackers out the car window,
Grins wide as the hot moon
Slumping across the sky.

Put on your sandals and lightest shirt,
Remember how to dance, how
The hall looks, lit up at night across the fields,
Music shaking out the windows while people
Swirl and turn inside, a hive
Of joy and regret all strung together
Like the colored lights cris-crossing overhead,
The sweet wail of a fiddle
Rising up into the wild and distant stars.