Dog Days

wait till the heat sets in
and the days grow long and thin
they set the traffic lights to swaying
in the wind
run till your legs are sore
turn all the lights on, lock the doors
they’ll wait the whole night long to shake you
to your core
see how it burns and how it bends
the way it descends
through the trees
outside your room
how the dog days trouble you
and the cool sigh
of the low tide
how it only leaves you blue
out in the pines and firs
there were spies and saboteurs
you spent a night this side of breaking
taking turns
you’ve got time to kill
you’ve got moves and summer skills
and even so, they sought to bend you
to their will
still can’t relax and place your words
just pray that this curse
too will pass
dead afternoons
how the dog days trouble you
and the cruel bite
of the sunlight
how it bends and how it burns
and the nightmares reassure
in a clean bed
in a cold sweat
you’re forgetting all you learned here
with your worst fears all confirmed here