Without Winter

“Did We abolish
Frost
The Summer
would not cease —
If Seasons perish
or prevail
Is optional with Us —”

Emily Dickinson, #1014, c. 1865

Put off the cold front, the overcoat
go barefoot into fall and winter –
Heaven has no need for umbrellas
in El Porto’s garage no surfboard

What is optional here is mandatory
elsewhere – while home mandates
we embark upon our mission out
even as our clothes wear thinner –

It is up to the individual to mask
at the bistro or tonight’s opera
decide if hearts pin to sleeves
or stay locked in summer rooms –

In the heat we’ve nothing to say
to keep cool we avoid emotion
what is compulsory is optional
work around the toil and toll –

The only way to beat the heat
is to stop moving – end travail
as we slog and toil to the end
with another hot laptop post –