Embrace

- - -

Global warming . . .

- - -

When I came here 

Thirty odd years ago 

We had summers of 

Fog 

June gloom, 

May grey 

We never saw 

The sun 

It was a local joke 

Want sun? 

Drive to Ojai 

Twenty degrees difference 

Twenty miles away 

Bright sunshine. 

Now 

Something's changed 

It's hot, hot, hot 

And it's only 

May 

We used to go to the beach 

On Christmas Day 

Just because we could 

It was our little ritual 

With family

So far flung 

Warmer then on Christmas 

Than in May 

Now it's just hot 

My garden doesn't know 

What to do 

Spring flowers 

Used to drippy fog 

Are wilting early 

I suppose we'll 

Adjust -

The outdoor shower 

Will be used to cool -

Indoors we'll adjust 

Old electrics barely support 

The little window box cooler

But it helps if 

One gets near enough 

Hot flashes have helped 

This one learn to tolerate 

Extremely warm 

Conditions -

Learn to sweat !

Even if genteel women aren't 

Supposed to 

No one told the 

Maker of 

Such a requirement 

But if it gets any hotter 

What then -

If food can't grow? 

Tonight I go 

To dance some tango 

It will be warm 

The doors will be open 

To the street 

Maybe much like 

Buenos Aires 

People walking by 

Look in with curiosity 

What is this foreign 

Scene ?

Americans dancing 

Together 

Just as if 

They knew 

How -

Americans enjoying

Embracing one another 

And moving with grace -

And you will arrive late 

And I anticipate 

Your particular embrace.