My heartbeat feels 
like a chore
on this late afternoon Wednesday. 
blue-sky covered
by hazy-grey cotton clouds. 
I want to swaddle myself 
with honeysuckle and grow old 
in this heat while thinking 
about teen heartthrobs 
from my youth. 
Me and my gang, 
we were marigolds and bluebells 
wearing our jean shorts
and butterfly clips in hair 
that did not require color-safe
or sulfate-free shampoo 
we crunched chips at midnight
with scoops of French onion dip 
and laughed ourselves into summer.