THE HOTTEST DAY

First published in June 2022

A story-book summer's day,
no breeze, not even a tickle, a day for long cool skirts,
I put trousers to one side, dig out a cotton skirt in blues,
& pale pink with starfish, shells & stripy fat pink fish on the edge -
probably the oldest wearable garment I own, just right
for today;s vicious sunshine.

We bought it in Falmouth at least twenty years ago.
I remember Allen supervising from a seat in the corner. 'No,'
he'd say, 'Too dull', 'Don't like the colour,' as the shop ladies
fussed over him, bringing him black coffee and biscuits and
I paraded around in one long skirt after another. Then, 'That's it!

Perfect!' as it is for today's heatwave.