Heat Wave Retreat

Record heat wave hot—it’s too hot to be in the garden, too hot to take a hike, too hot for anything. The birds gave gone to roost and the sky is empty of clouds. Ultraviolet rays rain upon the high desert from a cobalt sky where no clouds gather, like the vengeance of some Old Testament God. Snakes go to ground and rabbits hide in the brush. The mountains are bare of snow so each day the river gets lower. We await the monsoons. Will they come?

Now is the time for a heat wave retreat. Hide indoors and pull the blinds. Find a cool spot under a fan. Become quiet and still. Listen to the singing silence. Drink cool water like the sacrament it is. Get right with your god.

Wait for dusk to move your body. If there is a moon (it is full tonight) go out and dance on your porch. Break your fast, swim in the river, watch for bats, laugh with friends. Tomorrow will be hotter.