Hot.
Too hot.
Energy sapping hot.
I have great thoughts but they can’t get past the headache.
A cool drink helps, but not for long.
The fan blows warm air around my head.
Thoughts do not cool.
Tap.
A diamond cutter studies the raw crystal.
Marks a line.
A tap cleaves it in two.
An irrevocable step.
Choose wrong and the value is lost.
Irretrievable.
No do over.
Fear.
Fear stays the hammer blow.
Reach for the jeweler’s loupe to study the problem afresh.
Time passes.
Dust settles.
The stone remains uncut, it’s value unrealized.
It’s beauty hidden by indecision.
The tap.
Steel edge driven by a sharp tap with a hammer.
Only one chance.
Only one choice.
Choose right and the beauty gleams.
Choose wrong and your heart breaks.
Or don’t choose and let hope stay on a shelf.
Don’t choose and let the beauty remain hidden.
Don’t choose and let life pass you by.
Hot. Heat blinding the mind.
In the shop a picture sits covered in dust.
Just four cuts left.
Which four to make?
In the past a choice was made.
Was it the right path?
Did I tap along the right line?
Is that demon banished?
On the horizon ships approach.
More choice.
Which leads to fulfillment?
Which leads to beauty.
What line do I draw?
Will there be more ships?
More lines to draw?
Heat.
The ripples rise on a distant highway obscuring the vision.
The distant mountains shimmer as my strength fails.
Come, cooling river.
Ocean breezes flow.
Darkness fall, and sleep restore my weary soul.
Tomorrow and tomorrow come.
Give my soul the strength to,
Tap
It’s going to get close to 100 here and without A/C I don’t think I’ll make it a the keyboard for very long so I am reposting a poem I wrote a few years ago. It came back to my mind as I saw the temperature forecast.
Till next week,
Andrew
Andrew's View of the Week 
Lovely poem 😊
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Thank you.
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Ugh. So sorry. Best of luck braving that coming heat wave.
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Looks like we finally got a break in the heat. Only going up to 80 today.
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That is much better!
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Time for a window unit in the bedroom…
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Yup, going to have to get one sooner or later.
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Lots of emotion in those three letters, Andrew. I’ll be thinking about TAP for awhile.
Ω
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It was one those words that hit my brain and wouldn’t leave until I wrote the poem.
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You used it effectively, Andrew.
Ω
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It was hot over here on the east coast too. We were in Boston for a couple of days and it was 95. A scorcher. Hope you get some relief soon. It rained at our house last night and brought the temps down to what’s normal for us this time of year.
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This morning’s weather report shows, we get a full week of this.
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The whole state must be in this heatwave! When it’s as hot where you are as we are in Los Angeles County, that’s just crazy. We have A/C but it’s early to start pumping it and paying those utility bills!
Your poem is very special, Andrew. There is a lot of wisdom in what you say about taking the steps to “tap” rather than leave hope on the shelf, unrealized. That is going to stay with me. Thank you…and wishing you a cooling trend.
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Seems like the whole west coast is on fire today. The poem started out as “tap” about the diamond and indecision. I happened to be writing on a hot day, so the heat thing got added.
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I have knowledge of that heat, but the luxury of A/C. And good thing, as we’re supposed to reach 120 later this week. Yeesh! 😳
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I’ve been in your part of the world when it was 115 in the shade in a car with no A/C when I was a kid. Mother told us she’d invented a new kind of A/C – 465AC. Yup roll down four windows and drive 65 miles an hour. Likely your home A/C is a little better.
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Do enjoy your Dad’s Day, Andrew. No AC–yikes!
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Thank you. Most times it’s mild enough here that we don’t need it. Today I wish I had it.
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It’s like that here today…just waiting for the storm which will inevitably follow 😐
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We’ll get coastal fog that will cool us down, but not for a few days.
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That’s too darn hot. I don’t know what we’d do without central air. Where we live the high 80’s and low 90’s are usually our summer temps. We get to mid to high 90’s a couple of times a year and I stay where the cool is. Good luck with your heat.
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We only get a few heatwave like this. Most times it never goes over 85, so I’ve never invested in A/C for this house.
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Oh I hope it cools down soon for you. Your mood wrenching poem seems to mirror your feelings too.
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It’s projected to cool in a few days, but wow, it’s been hot.
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