romances, heat waves, the sun
beating on bare backs, kick pushin down hills
the oil popping out the pan
the tip of the blunt when it shortens
& shortens
& shortens

like being 14 &
finding a lover
badder than the others
to enter a new year with

like being 16 &
curious of life
& love beyond
an era of “sweethearts”

like being 6 again
running on concrete not splashed
by Tia Silvia’s pool
scurrying to the deep end
pretending to be grown

like being 24
burning your fingertips on the comal
while making your 5th struggle snack of the day
while the fridge keeps the air inside it cool
like being 28
living in the product of global warming
California fire season won’t allow the ac to run
unless… I invite the smoke
like being 25
& adoring the baddie, who consistently
is inconsistent
with her affection & attention
but you hold on, hopin
that whatever she’s coping with will pass
& she’ll see that you’re here to last
until 29 finally teaches you
to let go of the fire

    like my ‘92 corolla, box, bucket
    with a broken ac, and 92 degree
    dry heat, in traffic, for 3 hours
    & Santana can’t soothe you…

like being 10 again
basketball & wheels
secret skateparks
wondering what’s ready at home

good memories are rays of sun massaging skin
while sugar from popsicles or sodas
do something to the mind

sometimes
even the bad memories, that burn
like these hellish summers
full of work & worry & love games lost
can feel like sunshine…

summers didn’t use to feel like that