Drought

Drought – Jacqueline Nash

The searing heat of the hot summer sun
shines down unforgivingly upon the baked earth.
Pervading stillness hangs like a heavy veil around us.
The heat slowing each and every living thing.
Flowers and shrubs begin to wilt,
moisture being drawn from their cells
to evaporate in the sultry air.

A heat haze hovers in the distance,
shimmering and fuzzy, distorting the views.
Animals and humans desperately seeking shade
from the unrelenting power of the sun.
The sun that enables life to exist,
giving life to each and every thing,
can take life from us too.

Green leaves turning brown and crisp
when roots can no longer draw water from the soil.
When rivers and streams run dry from the scorching heat.
Then, the sun that was our friend becomes our foe.
Where have the rain clouds gone?
We pray for their return to bring us rain
to save us from this drought.