Swirling coils of thick heat
Rise like snakes, reaching
Waving angrily in the air,
Poisoning us who cling
To the parched earth,
And stretch, up, up
Into the cool, tender night,
Whose cool fingers sooth
And gentle caresses calm
The angry snakes
Until they coil back down to sleep,
And then her gentle breath
Soothes, too, our troubles
And lays us down softly sleeping
Into the comforting coils
And warm bodies
Of the snakes