Perth, 2113

Perth 2113

When summer comes
shoving spring aside,
children scream in terror,
‘The Sun! The Sun!’
as they run for cover.

That malicious beast
striding the earth – relentless,
sending us into shadows,
burning, searing, killing
the slow, the stragglers,

desiccating the unwary,
wearing down the strong
leaving people as wasted shells
gasping each night
for a cool breath of air.
.
When summer comes
painting bright landscapes
luring us with false colours,
we hide – and pray
for Autumn’s gentle skies.

(Originally published in Silence…)