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Midnight July
By Rob Kistner | July 17, 2008
Midnight July
•
relentless din
of crawling
prowling
night
pours steaming
through my window
midnight intrudes
damp
and searing
insistent
scalded air
too hot and thick
to breathe
a heat to suffocate
coarse whirr
drones overhead
promising relief
in vain
sweltered darkness
lays heavy
upon me
unbearable
I toss
in labored
half-sleep
gasping
for
cool relief
haltingly
I deep inhale
to fill my lunges
only to bake them
in cruel
sustaining breath
this oven to endure
salted droplets
trace my spine
baste my neck
pool
in the hollow
of my fevered chest
bloom and seep
from beneath the smother
of matted soak
atop my head
to weep their way
‘cross smoldered brow
into my eyes
and sting
no respite
in this nocturne furnace
night clings
and stifles
even dreams are scorched
simmering in July
• • •
rob kistner © 2008
Topics: Free Verse, Poetry |
July 17th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
i love the second to the last line!
July 17th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Oh, this is powerful!
July 18th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Wow, this is so detailed, so evocative of the scene. You really capture the sensation of the moment.
July 19th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Now you’re talking Rob, ‘Scorched dreams’ - you can’t beat that!
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:24 am
Even dreams are scorched - brilliant. Oh we’ve had many nights like this & finally bit the bullet and installed central air. No more scorched dreams
Great poem. Peace, JP/deb