as a child born to the low country 
of South Carolina,

it was a well known fact
that the swelter of summer
caused women to glow,
men to sweat,
and a scant few
we’re said to shine

efforts to ward off
glowing, sweating, or
shining we’re met in earnest 

seasoning was discouraged 

retreat into the cold 
conditioned air
was remedy enough

the cure conjured
~ brain freeze

now, as an elder of the
northern highlands, 
in the dry heat of late summer, 

i prefer to season
and conjure up
my shine