A Hot Shower

My sister once went to Kiev.
The one story I remember is that
She showered in unheated water;
That was all there was.

I think of that sometimes.
In the summer in Virginia,
A hot shower sounds like torment.
But I still like the water at least a little warm.

Now the weather has cooled just enough
That I can again enjoy the hot water
Hitting my head and shoulders,
Cooling by the time it reaches my feet.

Phil prefers the bath, and a long soak
In scalding water has its place.
But if I had to choose, I think I’d keep
The tactile pleasure, and efficiency, of a hot shower.