A breakup in the concrete, your mother’s back.
Residue from switches, birch skin, falls:
A fingershell in the city’s leprotic air.

Around the buildings, skyscraped apt houses
Between chain ringlets, the sun is small, white
Relentless summer’s thumbnail sketch.

The suspension of fiery rubber, an orange ball.
Responds to black tarp, wan concrete base around
The park borders.

The edge and the action, vaselined, kindling, we
Look out at the gamine, the unforgiving surface on
Which we stand.

What’s a snap? Moving our necks side to side.
Heads west, corners of smiles tucked easterly.
In our cornea circles, the turned around image burns.