The Wave

Karla Hirsch 

Summer in the city is in every crack between people and houses and cars, and the sweltering sun pulls heat from the tarmac till everything stills in a deafening flickering haze above it—you have to get to work, you take the bike, longing for the make-believe momentary freshness of headwind, you go faster and faster winding your way between cars that wait at traffic lights, their metallic skins oozing heat like sweat, and the sun on your skin starts to squeeze every pore, and your skin starts to shrink, pushing out the sweat and the sweat lies on you like cling foil—all of you sticks together—

but then.

You catch the last moment of the green traffic light, speed to the right, across the road, off the lane and into the park.

Where the lime trees greet you, heavy with scent and shade.

You ride into the darkness—

plunging headlong into the coolness of a wave that comes crashing to the shore just for you.

Karla Hirsch is an emerging writer of poetry and literary fiction from Munich/Germany. She has previously worked as a PR assistant in television and a fundraising manager in musical theatre, before leaving to travel the world. Currently, Karla is exploring Central and South America, while working on her first novel. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in 'Tint Journal' and 'From the Depths' (Haunted Waters Press).