The heat did me in.
I barely made it 80 minutes this year.
I am no longer the pride festival warrior
I used to be,
going strong from start
’til the last song played.
The trick is not to touch
air conditioning
until the end of the night
or else the heat and the exhaustion
will catch up with you.
And then you’re done.
Rocking out all day
eithet not getting sunburned somehow
or not caring.
Squeezing every last drop of joy
out of the day.
Always driving home with
new music and new memories
to get me through the year.
I used to hit Louisville, Cinci, and Newport
as well as Lex.
A month long celebration.
This year?
80 minutes.
I have got to become 
like those firewalkers
or ones who sleep on a bed of nails,
able to endure such conditions
as if it is nothing. 
I miss those days too much. 
If I can endure the pain 
of the closet(s) for 364,
I can endure the heat for a day
of being myself.