In another life, we waited
 all winter for this, or something
very like it. May ending,
summer hard on its heels, all things
made different by rising
humidity, by heat that will
quickly turn sullen, oppressive,
give not an inch for weeks at a time.
So many things we never
thought to choose, we, hanging
about on the fringes of life, rejoicing
in spite of ourselves this first
day of high eighties, nineties soon
to follow, relieved that our waiting is
over again. We know we will
sweat, as we always do, cursing
the rigor of southern suns,
happy, no matter what we say,
to be wherever we happen to be,
everything heating up again,
another season begun.

© by Phebe Davidson.
Used with the author’s permission.