August Seventh

ByMerrie Dail

Earth so dry

Beginning to
relinquish hold on
a landscape slowly losing the
struggle to dig deep enough for life
sustaining moisture – sprinklers small comfort.

Into each heated
night, cicadas loose
a relentless, high-pitched plea – no relief
and dawn arrives – gray as the day before.

And yet – yet
the strawberry pot has
more runners than ever, taking
root willy-nilly in the gravel under foot

Around the corner, hand
watered grapes offer hope as
one by one orbs display a faint blush of color.

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