yellow lilies
lighten the day — the last walk
for my dog and me

in the backyard shade
a small gust brings coolness
and a white petal

harsh sun
the complicated eyes
of a grasshopper

a mosquito
caught in my hair —
scent of pine

distant thunder —
a load of swamp drops
from the backhoe

afternoon heat
a passionflower falls
into the pool

summer afternoon
baby and I discover
the beauty of leaves

afternoon breeze —
sound of the loom
from the weaver’s house

flash of lightning
the dry creek
choked with rubbish

gnats in a tizzy . . .
older brother
takes the mound