thinning clouds
drift eastward
fading light clings
to the trailing mist
in the sudden calm
beads of water
slip from the leaves
and are welcomed
by the thirsting earth
hibiscus flowers droop
ferns shimmer
distant thunder sounds
from the top of a tree
a mockingbird
celebrates this brief respite
from the summer heat
a neighbor steps out
and joins me for a moment
we fall silent
and drink our fill
Tom Spencer © 2019