Day 03: The Solstice Song of Laredo

Day thee: Write a reflective poem about the longest days of the year (summer in the North) or the darkest ones (winter in the South).

The Solstice Song of Laredo

Beneath the sweep of the molten sky,

Where mesquites bow and wild sunflowers sigh,

June unfurls her endless scroll—

A tale of heat that swallows whole.

The Rio Grande stirs, half-asleep,

Its whispers lost in the summer’s sweep,

And the cicadas hum their ancient tune,

A dirge to the sun, a hymn to the moon.

These days stretch wide like Texas land,

A ceaseless blaze sculpted by God’s hand.

The shadows shrink, the mirage grows tall,

As time drips slow, yet not at all.

In Laredo’s heart, the air stands still,

A furnace breathes from every hill.

But oh, the flor de noción blooms,

Fighting fire with her soft perfumes.

The people move like dreamers do,

Seeking shade for a moment or two.

Ice sweats in a glass, lemonade sweet—

A truce with the sun, a fleeting retreat.

Even this heat, unyielding, bold,

Holds beauty in its ruthless hold.

For in the longing for cool night’s grace,

Lies the spirit of this fervent place.

So let the daylight linger long,

With all its heat and cicada song.

Laredo’s June speaks loud and clear:

Summer lives eternal here.