Zig zagging cement jut up a sharp driveway to meet
In the dusty estuary of a smooth pebble sidewalk
The fury of Geary
Something in my eye
A flattened squash blossom of marigold
On a puddle of petals and crisp leaves
Two red and white balloons with no words
Mark a doorway
No Parking
We wouldn’t dare
Gray ash speckle fuzzy flat leaves
Stale “hello’s” settle in the air unreturned
We’d rather there no evidence we were ever out
We mourn friends, what is a stranger on the street?
Two girls pronounce
“It would be so cool
To have a place that looks out
At the city
Or something”
A salty small poodle grimaces under a muddy mouth
Beside the legs of a table selling
Soft cheese
“C’mon baby”
Soft cheese
Nails, Waxing
A sweet soft couple walks in step dragging
Shuffling flip flops, arms linked on a Sunday
I follow them headed home
Why linger? we move fast
Biking, better yet
Masks, better even
Home, best yet
A black and textured rubber rat hunches proudly
Securely on a passing white helmet
A couple kisses
I wonder
Who lifted
Their mask?
Originally published in the Fall 2020 Forum Literary Journal