River of Words: Poetry

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The Essence of Summer

Heads bob in and out of the blue-edged water,
Fluorescent pink and neon yellow inner tubes
float lazily around.

I lay my head down on the dock,
the wood gritty and warm beneath my skin.

The wind breathes on my wet toes in the midday heat.
The sun plays with my sunburned forehead,
Burning the way a spicy-sweet chili pepper feels
when it first enters your mouth.

My bathing suit clings to me like a second skin,
as the water flirts and dances around me.

I cup the water in my hands,
and slowly allow the liquid to escape through
the cracks of my fingers,
as I let the essence of summer slip away.

Fairfax Banks, Age 14
L.J. Alleman Middle School
Lafayette, Louisiana
Teacher: Harriet Maher

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