Before conditioned air.
Sundown supper picnic
then Dairy Queen for
cone chocolate dipped.
To the yard, our
summer living room.
Chasing fireflies,
clicking balls in a
game of Croquet,
sipping mint iced tea
to the crackle of boys’
backyard fireworks.
Silent peek at the
screen, drive-in
movie blocks away.
Scent of roses,
Citronella, game of
Canasta by candle light.
Sky searching constellations.
Only retiring for bed
in the pitch black dark.

-Sue Neufarth Howard