ICE CREAM WEATHER

Two coffees deep into Sunday. Cut flowers

a little wilted, désolé. Subscribers’ attention

lather-whipped by a crossword


for an hour, maybe two, then the mind,

which is its own beast, trots off

to a corner and licks its genitals.


Deft as an ASM-114 Hellfire, that stalwart

of air-to-surface missiles, the radio

inserts a hook in the lip. The July sweats


are at it again. I know what you’re thinking

and that’s not it. The air conditioner

with its idiot whirr locks silence


in the closet. If it’s good

maybe it can come out later

and we can all have ice cream.