Seek the wild places,
where the mercy of moisture
still lingers under rocks.
Insects loiter there;
shelter while
stripped whiptail lizards
race beneath thin green veils
of sun-bleached
leaves.
Deep summer
cover rotates; shade grows
rooted in parched
soil.
Rabbits burrow
far beneath
a large stand of prickly
pear; pant for breath;
wait until some
hint of slightly
cooler evening air.
Survival
intent but wilted;
an oppressive challenge
crescendo abounds within
the brutal plague
of thirst;
a long ascending
spiral of relentless
heat.
14 August 2019 – Pharr, Texas
~ Elizabeth Perdomo
Guest editor Annette Hope Billings is an award-winning poet known for the impact of her audible presentations of work. In 2016 she brought her registered nursing career to an early end to fully pursue her passion for writing. She is happily working on her fourth collection of poetry. Billings’ work can also be found in a variety of anthologies as well as in print and online journals. Please visit her website and/or Facebook page for further information.
The Coop: A Poetry Cooperative 