The air is heavy

The air is heavy

With the dust of summer

Hung out to dry

As thick as aspic

Laden with sea salt

Garnished with the aroma

Of land-locked kelp

Thrown up at high tide

As the sea churns

With a lazy slap

Of tired waves

Life a slow burn

In fierce heat

Fit to lift

The skin from

Easy riders

On steel machines

Scrawny arms akimbo

Born to be wild

Every weekend

Along the esplanade

Back and forth

Like clockwork

All dressed up

For the show

Wild is the wind

With nowhere to go

But to parade

For the walkers

Coffee drinkers

Shoppers with boxes

Full of vegetables

From the market

Beating a retreat

From the sun

Before midday

They are not fools

For reconditioned bikes

Or Dennis Hopper look alikes

The afternoon is for

Barbeques, beer

And backyard pools.