summer, revisited
2003-11-19
Summer has crept into the land, vanquishing cloud, exonerating sand and surf. The morning air is heavy with the season, charged with heat and light and embracing humidity. Further north, a drought pervades. Grasses are the colour of golden wheat. Emaciated animals graze the barren fields. Bushfires sporadically set alight the woodlands of the eastern states, destroying family homes in their wake. Water is more precious than diamonds.
Cities melt beneath a shimmering haze. Sweaty bodies seek solace within air-conditioned sanctuaries. Beaches overflow with frolicking suntanned creatures and young sandcastle engineers. The smell of sunscreen emanates from every pore. Laid-back music spills from car radios, the windows wound thoroughly down. Cars cruise en masse along the esplanades. Jetties swell with people. Dolphins chase schools of fish through shallow water, catching the fascination of swimmers. Ice cream flows from convoys of Mr. Whippy ice cream trucks. The smell of fish and chips and the sight of mum’s salad is the essence of the season.
Summer: a season of heat, dust and sunburn. A season of swimming pools, pearl white sand and endlessly boring cricket matches. A season of stunning sunsets, golden landscapes and irritable urban creatures. Summer, a season of extremes.
