From the Sidewalk

silly poem

I’m a sidewalk.

            Yes,

            Thanks for pointing it out.

Yes, the Mayor refuses to send some money my way.

Yes, I’ve got cracks enough to make me into an elephant

            (I’m an old sidewalk—

            So sue me.)

Yes, this summer, when there was

                        No rain

                        No shade

                        No new concrete fix-ups...

Yes, this summer was hard for me

                                                            Thanks for asking.

Sure, laugh as much as you want, trying

            Not to break your mother’s back,

            Trying to jump over all my cracks

                                    It’s all the Mayor’s fault that

                                    This stupid game of yours isn’t so successful—

You’ve broken your mother’s back ten times already,

Trust me, I counted.

            Someday, I’ll

            Crumble all to pieces and

            Swallow you up—

            Don’t blame me,

                                                Blame the Mayor.