it's raining tonight in the desert
washing clean the city air
that cools twenty five degrees
in just moments
winds gust and debris
fills the air and
i happen to find myself
driving through this
and i have to turn on my
windshield wipers
for the first time in months...
those days and months
of light and heat
heat and light
fused rubber to glass
glass to rubber
and the first mechanical stroke
wrestled for an instant with
adhesion
then the weakened rubber gave way
and on the second stroke
took on the appearance of
wet licorice whips
lashing back and forth
to and fro
uselessly across the windshield...

i looked with sheepish chagrin
at the new wiper blades that i bought yesterday
sitting on the passenger seat
and once again marvelled at my
monumental procrastination
and crept cautiously home...