Summers spent in old houses --
remember when the flowers out front
were in full bloom?

Yeah, that was summer, baby --

Sipping chai tea with
three sugars;
wearing clothes that showed off
elbows & knees
calves & breast-bones.

Those were the days, huh?

Hot sun on aviators
cracking paint on the walls
beading on your cheeks...

city in your bones.

Café chairs that I've written on
when I ran out of
palm frond-thin papers
and I needed to get those
words off.

Needed some shade, babe.

Pavement was hot then
ankles were wet with sprinkler dew
and hands were slick with
fountain pennies:

Wishing for a cool breeze --
didn't know we had it good,
looking at hips and shoulders,
telephone poles advertising $6 concerts.

You know prices were lower then, honey.
You know sandals made you feel so light.

Old houses soaking in sun-screened legs
cheeks smooth and smiling
shorts cut-off and flattering
and dresses -- oh, those summer beauties!

Ukulele melodies in your wrist-bones;
dear, I can't hear those over this December snowfall...