Brownout Summer
by james bezerra
One San Joaquin Valley
summer of brown outs
we bought
inflatable kiddie pool.
Yellow weed back yard,
chemical-treated blue
plastic,
borrowed green hose,
bright clear water.
When thrum of swamp cooler
cut out,
and cheese plant next
door went quiet,
the swelter indoors was
thick.
Someone stole a wooden
picnic table.
We put batteries in a
radio,
sat outside sweating,
drank Keystone,
took turns in the pool.
.
.
.
