A New Ice Age Poem by Margaret Alice Second

Three brilliant women, close colleagues,
language fundi's & architectural pundits
in their own estimation; solved the air-con
problem of the 10-storey building in which

We face temperatures of 31 degrees C on
a daily basis: install three industrial mobile
air-con units with outlets bored through the
windows on every side of the building -

Just as their enthusiasm waxes and sets them
aflame, thunder sounds in the distance, the op-
pressive heat is leading to the inevitable storm
and much-needed rain, I want to run outside -

But co-architectural expert Annette says thunder
should be treated with respect and refers to a
someone recently struck dead, thus for fear of
pain let me remain in my chair as I stare

At my desk which seems to bubble and steam
in the terrible heat, Alet runs in to complain her
African colleagues refuse to let the working air-
con in the passage remain as they love it

To be hot and fear the cold with a passion, may-
be their forbears suffered in the ice age that
killed the dinosaurs, I wish for a new ice age
so this heat will be a thing of the past -

Including us…

[9 January 2015]