top of page
Elizabeth Cotton

You will be my summer

I lie awake listening to ice cubes cackling to life upon water in the dark kitchen 

It is a familiar sound, in this July heatwave: vivid, cool, unapologetic, refreshing 

like the way you say the word “fantastic,” with that tricultural accent, thick tongue

somewhere between eighty degrees and a hundred and four, I became addicted 

we met at the end of spring, and I know you will be my summer as long as I play

my cards right, with shaky, juvenile hands, no risky moves, only place safe bets

do not get your hopes up, beginner’s luck, stop thinking about when September

will come and the nights will cool down, and the days will get too short for just me

but I should not regret having made you my warm nights, flip-flops, secret drives

your wounded finger from blending frozen mangoes with cookie butter ice cream 

talks of trips we will never take, kisses in that car you are so proud of, yes you

will be my summer, at the very least - you can see my hand if you show me yours.

1 view0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

I used to

Comments


bottom of page