Hot breezes blow, a foretaste
of summer. The heat awakens
the catalpa’s buds, and suddenly
they burst into hundreds of blossoms,
white and ruffled, clustered among
the tree’s large, heart-shaped leaves.
You could imagine they were mounds of snow
or ice cream if you were longing for relief
from the day’s fiery air. The sight
of them is alone enough to cool you.
Such is their grace, offering refreshment,
just when we need it the most,