.

Deep in the Heat of Texas

a rhupunt

One hundred one,
a scorching sun
that I should shun.
I shed no tear.

Sun blazing down,
the grass is brown,
I do not frown
I’m in good cheer.

The soil on fire
as we perspire
in all attire.
I am still here.

The Texas heat,
may cook raw meat
on my car seat.
I do not fear.

I move real slow,
as I lie low
with thoughts of snow.
Oh Life, revere!

.

.

Phil S. Rogers is a sixth generation Vermonter, age 72, now retired, and living in Texas. He served in the United States Air Force and had a career in real estate and banking.  He previously published Everlasting Glory, a historical work that tells the story of each of the men from Vermont that was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Civil War.

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13 Responses

    • Phil S. Rogers

      Thank you Roy, but to be fair, I have to admit that after I started the poem, my wife suggested the title.

      Reply
  2. Paddy Raghunathan

    I envy your courage. When I came to the US, I first came to Dallas and within six months had moved to the greenery of the Midwest.

    Every stanza is concise and sweet…it almost reads like Haiku.

    Best regards,

    Paddy

    Reply
    • Phil S. Rogers

      Paddy; I live east of Dallas, in the midst of farm land and woods. It is rural here, and much different than most of the rest of the state. Thank you for your kind comments.

      Reply
  3. Margaret Coats

    Good work, Phil. I can imagine the heat cooking raw meat on a Texas car seat. California heat will pop wine corks if I leave bottles in the car too long. Your last line addressing Life and telling it to revere something (you?) sounds a little odd with the direct object not named. “Life I revere” would be an inversion (not the best thing for a final line), and “Life is severe” may be too obvious. But the first three lines of that stanza offer a severe picture I really like.

    Reply
    • Phil S. Rogers

      Margaret; I was thinking about a short poem on the terrible heat we are
      having when an old friend passed away. Appreciating the fact that I am still here, I tried to put the heat and my feelings together. Thank you for your comments.

      Reply
    • Margaret Coats

      May your friend rest in peace. I understand why you may have been thinking of Vermont snow.

      Reply
  4. Rohini

    Lovely poem. I enjoyed the heated tempo of the first three lines and then the fourth ‘exhausted’ line!

    Reply
  5. Phil S. Rogers

    Thank you so much for the comments. I find the rhupunt a fun style of
    poetry to write and also send a message.

    Reply
  6. Cheryl Corey

    Very succinct, Phil. No matter what part of the country we live in, there’s always something. Remember VT blizzards? Mud season? The rains?

    Reply
  7. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Phil, from the smile of a title to the feverish truth uttered in every well-crafted stanza, this poem speaks to me… loudly and clearly… and it makes me want to look up the rhupunt form and run with it. If I could change anything, it would be the closing line… I would’ve said “Pour me a beer!” But that’s because I’m one helluva naughty poet – many will attest to it 😉

    Reply
  8. Janice Canerdy

    Phil, you have taught me a new poetic form. I REALLY like it, and I love the title! Your vivid descriptions have set the page on fire with Texas heat!

    Reply
  9. Joshua C. Frank

    This describes Texas summers very well. I want to do a rhupunt of my own now!

    Reply

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