Garden Hose

water through new polyurethane

smells like childhood summers,

the cool water through

the electric green garden hose

after a sweaty bike ride

through the topography

of my fall-line neighborhood,

pick-up backyard ballgames,

letting the hot water,

sun-warmed inside the coils

run out into the pinestraw

of the flowerbeds--

else the hot metal sears a lip

waiting for the cool splash

into the mouth and down the throat

swallowing summer

in cold, delicious

mouthfuls.