***
a little girl
used to being
her own playdate
tried to fry an egg on the sidewalk
the yellow yolk dancing
on the pavement with petals
that had abandoned a daisy.
away from the heat
and their spouses,
a man and woman
showered together,
shyly wiping
soap bubbles off
of each other’s backs.
two pretty boys in striped
shirts, suspenders and church
hats waited for the bus.
“maybe momma will come home today,”
the younger boy whispered,
his face a soft caramel from the sun.
“no, she hates poppa more than she loves us,”
the older boy answered,
his hat and the sun making
shadows skip across his face
as he gripped the bag she had
left behind under his arm tighter.
–lissa
