Parched land, parched throat

The rising of the Sun.
A rising in temperatures.
The rising heat unbearable.
Into the night the heat follows.

A heatwave blankets overhead.
El Nino is to be blamed.
The Sun above the Equator.
Tomorrow is the equinox.

Hot! Hot! Hot!
The land parched; cracked.
A comparison to the desert.
Hottest cities reaching 39°C.

Four cubes of ice melts away.
The mug of water iced cold.
In less than ten minutes,
the water is warm again.

The afternoons I dread.
Quenching my throat often.
The fan at full blast.
All I feel is warm air.

Sweat pouring down my face.
Trickling along my back I feel.
Hands and legs damp and sticky.
A bathtub filled with ice… I desire.

I look forward to going to work.
Air-conditioned as cold as winter.
A few hours of respite, I’m thankful.
Bracing myself, I step out into the heat.

By C.E. Pereira
(19-3-2016)