Taking Out the Trash

John Rutherford

July 23, 2023

Ninety degrees at eight PM,

and I’m taking out the trash,

the window’s slick with condensation,

the cats are hiding in the bath.

I wear long sleeves year-round,

thought I was used to Texas heat,

but ninety degrees at eight PM

has really got me beat.

I’m thirty-one and can’t remember

a summer hot as this, grass brown

and dead in July, even before the 5th,

ninety degrees at eight PM, what gives?

I lug the bags out to the dumpster,

the moon-glow shining off the creek,

a kingfisher takes his dinner, sweat beads on my cheek,

ninety degrees at eight PM, ain’t this a treat?

John Rutherford works in the English Department at Lamar University. His work can be found in the Concho River Review and The Basilisk Tree.