Burn

Sometimes when I go to the beach in summer

I sit on my towel and strip off my shirt

and I close my eyes.

And I feel the sun hot on my back.

And I let myself burn.

I feel the heat rise from the sand around me

the scent so familiar

I rest my forehead on my arms and everything around me slips to white noise.

the sweat beads and runs on back and my neck and my arms

and I burn.

And I'm right back there.