Jeff Bak

Summer Night

By Jeff Bak
Green Mountain Valley School, Grade 12

Warm air envelopes the body
Everyone anxious for the rare gem
of a cool breeze
Sweet, icy drink in hand
Glass sweating profusely with condensation
The chorus of crickets and frogs
Play their never-ending tune of elevator music
The night is filled with sighs
Everything is finally content
The mountain tops are free from winter bondage
The rivers no longer gushing with spring waters
The ground not yet dreading the fall's frost
I sit on the creaky, green rocker
Adding to the chorus
Time seems to take a break from ticking
No need to end this perfect night
My eyelids begin to droop like the wilting garden next door
Everything is perfect
Nothing could be better

My legs were shaking
My breath that of a dying old man
My friends were far far below
My stomach felt squeamish

This mess came upon me
How could I be so unfortunate
These people little more than strangers on the street
The life of a nine year old now in their hands

Coaxing and reassuring filled my head
The words were as empty
As an old aluminum can
Now cast out to rust

I couldn't let on that I was afraid
There would be no fear here
Cool and collected I must be
I thought it was the end of me

I leaned back because I had no choice
I was sentenced to this task
I closed my eyes
And fell like a newly cut timber

I winced as I plumeted
Sure that I would crash and splinter like the tree
But I never did hit the ground
A safety net of arms was always there for me