Withstanding it at nine

And the devil said, "You cannot withstand the storm."

And I said, "Dude, everyone has been inside the last few months. There is *no* way I'm going out, even if it's nice. Save it for next year."

First bell rings at nine

Books, paper, and pencils
A face-mask and some snacks
Packed lovingly by parents
In a bullet-proof backpack

3...2...1... At nine!

The first two-piece bathing suit
Was not met with calm
In Paris, nineteen-forty-six
It hit just like a bomb
In that first war-free summer
A brand-new way to tan
Named after an island
Wiped from the earth by man

Spraying for mosquitoes at nine

The cicadas are all humming
Outside, it's hot and muggy
I know that I was born here
But summer's always bugged me