skin-blistering heat
air you could drown in
skies so blue their intensity
was palpable
in the twilight came cricket song
and energetic braying of
cicadas
the world smelled sweet and dusty
in the rain
concealed frogs called
tree-to-tree
she ran barefoot through
the sultry grass
a sun-kissed sweetie
a shitepoke, her daddy said
her eyes twinkled
the rogueish hazel sparkling
on the surface
summer at six
freedom was hers at last
