what does august taste like

today i joined a write now session as a part of the writing in community akimbo workshop i’m participating in. write now is a 1h coworking space where ppl write write together, all on zoom.

it gets started with a 2min free write. today’s prompt: what does august taste like?

i wrote:

august tastes like the dry heat and the sensation of my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. it tastes like husk cherries and a sore back. it tastes like my underarms and watermelon rind. it tastes like a cool forgiving breeze in the middle of an afternoon swamp. it tastes like fresh car exhaust on the side of walden pond (how did they let that car get that close?). it tastes like mewithoutYou and the recurrence of broken hearts. how is it that all my breakups come at the beginning of summer? what is it about the heat and the sun and possibility of freedom that makes my soul wriggle against the bonds of my commitments? is it the stars or the planets? is it the dancing of the fireflies or the wilting of my garden plants?