Hotter Than Hades

Hotter Than Hades

That summer when I was seven was hotter than Hades
The earth dry and cracked like a moon crater
I remember Grandma sitting on her porch
Snipping the green beans into her apron
Wiping the sweat from her eyes
with the damp cloth permanently wrapped around her neck
We spent most days down in the swimming hole
Swinging from the tree and jumping in the water
or floating in tire tubes just to stay cool
When the sun went down we'd catch fireflies in jars
and watch the June bugs spinning on their backs
by the kitchen door
The days passed slower than molasses
Daddy used to say it was hotter than a stolen tamale
I remember the swarm of grasshoppers that came
They were bigger than Texas.  Billy said they were locusts
They ate momma’s sunflowers,
making her madder than a hornet
There were so many in the air they would land on your legs
while you were riding your bike
Grown-ups were bad-tempered and us kids stayed well away
It seemed as if it was never going to rain
Until that day when big fat drops spotted the pavement 
Like the polka dots on my Sunday best dress
It was a Saturday
Finally, the heavens opened
and the rain came down in buckets
We danced in the street until we were soaked to the skin
and Grandma chased us in with her broom
The next day we all went to church to give thanks 
 
 
Copyright © 2021 Christine Bolton - Poetry for Healing
All Rights Reserved

Grace is hosting D'Verse Poets tonight and she has
prompted us to write a poem incorporating setting (specific or descriptive) in our blog.

Word Prompt

Swim - FOWC

Photo by Tengyart on Unsplash