Joseph P. DiMino Poet Free verse

Phoenix Arizona

I have some fruit trees in my backyard. 
Cooler dawns we ripely say hello, sweet
and sour occasions~ the lemons you know.

With a little cooperation, fertilizer, a bit
more water when dry, I find mostly sand can
be quite agreeable, even in a desert.
Diverted irrigation, flooding the property 
every 2 weeks is a big help. Salt River
our wet angel. Occasionally the blanching Sun does feign 
sympathy: a bit Less luster, grace enough that allows
clouding for a blessed evening drench. Now and
then on rising, a gentler gleam, for lingering morning dew 
that does not go unnoticed and appreciated.  At times occurs
a suspicious, easier on the eyes, toning down of 
fiery afternoon skies~ maybe courtesy of UFO’s? I don’t know. 
This time of year, in Phoenix, very predictable
temperatures: Half past hot or a quarter to Hell.

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Joe Maverick August 30, 2025 at 11:50 AM A sizzler Joe Dimino...Know the heat frim my Youth wore it like a suit at times.' Sonething we Can empahsize about.' Joseph P. DiMino August 30, 2025 at 5:49 PM Hi Joe; to be honest, I prefer heat over cold. Bones feel better. The desert here is amazing. Lots of different cactus. Fascinating critters. When I was younger, some buddies and I would run up a local mountain trail, and down for toughening up. It was always well over a hundred. Torturous things we would do for stamina and to unable ourselves to withstand greater levels of suffering.

Valsa George August 27, 2025 at 10:06 PM Hi Joe, in summer, our lands too go so dry. But now it is raining continuously this year. Two extreme seasons.... ! We too have many fruit trees in our backyard. Mangoes, jackfruits, papaya and ramputan.... all theses tropical fruits gave us a bumper crop this year. l love the last line of your poem in relation to the type of land you have. Joseph P. DiMino August 28, 2025 at 3:22 AM Hi Valsa; we have been very dry for many years, but, like you say, this year we are getting the type of monsoon season that was once typical in Phoenix. Lots of rain where I am. Oranges getting big as grapefruits. My wife's favorite is our kumquat. Huge fig tree feeds every bird in the neighborhood. We have these little wild love birds, they are very colorful and a riot to watch. Usually 5 to 10 at a time show up. Blessings my friend.

Gershon Wolf August 27, 2025 at 7:49 PM 'a quarter to hell' just cracks me p, Joe. Joseph P. DiMino August 28, 2025 at 3:27 AM As I often say to Ila, my wife: if we don't make it to heaven, at least the heat won't be a problem for us:)) Thank you, my friend. Have a great writing day.

Andrea Dietrich August 26, 2025 at 9:06 PM Ha. That last line is a kicker. Quite a unique poem Joseph P. DiMino August 27, 2025 at 5:07 AM Hi Andrea; a fun write. Thank you for commenting. Blessings my friend.

sara Etgen-Baker August 26, 2025 at 4:14 PM we lived in El Paso for about 20 years; same conditions there as in Phoenix. "temperatures were 'half-passed hot or a quarter to Hell.' Well said...and then those frequent dust storms, especially the haboobs...I loved the desert's simplicity, though...enjoy your evening, Sara Joseph P. DiMino August 26, 2025 at 4:30 PM Hi Sara; oh yeah! love it as well. Would not live anywhere else at this stage of the game. Enjoyed it more when I was younger; did a lot of hiking, some horseback riding -- great fun. Probably could still do a lot of that, but my buddies, those that are yet alive, are no longer able. And there are added responsibilities at home that prevent me from wandering too far from the homestead. Oh well, more incentive to have fun writing. Those dust storms can be brutal. A truck driver for many years, when caught in one, so bad occasionally I would be forced off the road, no visibility. Stopped it was scary. Fearful that another vehicle would blow into me in the sightless conditions. When you see those monsters coming from a distance, rolling in, towering into the sky it looks like the end of the world.