Summer Nights

hot summer nights
restless passions stole
innocence from prying
eyes probing shadows
bearing witness to
minor crimes in
young hearts’ quest
to burst vessels
running with hot lava
coursing through seams
stretched to bursting
straining against elementary
strictures of lofty
rectitude and high
virtue beyond reality’s
touch simmering in
heat of desire’s
lust to break
the chain of
consequence at any
cost when reason
grapples in the
iron claw of
will and desire
set in their
way not to
be swayed in
the narrow spasm
allotted the hour
to ride free
open and wild
at least one
time sparing nothing
at all cost
gathering what may
fall into the
fold of spent innocence