the rising heat pervades and saturates,
discombobulating, it smears and saps
our life, we sit and stare and take our turn
uttering, ‘It’s hot, too hot,’ our words become
confused and stumble, jumble, skip a line
and fall in greasy puddles around our shoes,
and start to slide apart, it is too much,
and slide apart, proximity adverse

The hottest day of yet another heatwave. It’s all too much…
(24.06.26)

© Ben Quant 2026
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash