Girls in Puddles

Some days here

It rains too much, even for me.

I’m afraid of the green—

In my dream, my flowers

Clawed at the windows and ran too deep.

When there’s so much rain,

The worms crawl up,

Up on the asphalt, up on the streets.

But when the day is bright and soft,

All I can see are husks of them.

There are girls in the road,

Splashing mud and soiling their nice dresses.

On my porch, little crusty shells of

Creatures with five hearts,

Water rings on the concrete—

My dress is dirty.

The longest worm

I’ve ever seen,

Escapes back into the dirt,

Away from girls in puddles.