Last Day of Freedom Before Last Year of School

AUGUST SKY

like orange marmalade
tonight’s sunset spreads across the sky

as the sun,
like a pool of melting butter
rich and oily warm
oozes toward the crusty brown edge of the horizon,

and the slender candied clouds,
like flecks of orange peel
with sugared edges, catch the last daylight

before the deep blue tongue of darkness
licks
the last sticky sweetness away, not leaving even a taste.