Anh-Thu Ngo - Midsummer Night

Mosquitoes buzz by;
the females thirsty for a fresh sip of human blood
They pick a vulnerable target, gathering around a wailing baby and
dive straight
for the soft and tender skin of the newborn
SQUAT!
The protective mother
shoos
the pesky creatures away
before there is a chance for contact In the meadow, bullfrogs
croak
a discordant tune
while lively crickets chirp
their harmonious melody
A soft breeze
pushes the tall reed stalks to and fro
in the boggy water
A celestial body emits a glowing radiance
upon the delicate earthen ground On the wooden verandah, Grandpa's rocking chair creaks continuously
A mild snore floats from a sleeping body
It rests on a swaying hammock,
slung between two peach trees
The hum of women's voices drifts gently away
Girls hush as a startling secret is revealed
in a traditional game of "Truth or Dare"
Little boys roll about in the wet grass
and their laughter echoes in the distance The drone of an electric fan is stifled
by the serene activities
of country men
The chinks of cool beer mugs ring through the air
as murmurs of "cheers" are carried away by the soft winds
A suffocating waft of smoke rises
from the addict's parched lips
V-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r
The whir of shuffling cards
ends
as the hand is dealt
and another uneventful round begins Far away, old cars crawl steadily
along the wide road,
occasionally beeping their horns
to waken other sluggish drivers
and stir life
back into an all-too-quiet town It is a peaceful midsummer night in the South.

Anh-Thu Ngo

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/midsummer-night/