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A frail elder enlists A plastic chair,

While

Resting their eyes on boat traffic, nominates engine noise

To automobile parlance

And sitting hunchback scooches their bottom 

Further back until the end is shared. 

The elder retrieves breadcrumbs 

From inside a plastic-bag,

Both resources

Gifted to them 

By the food pantry. They proceed 

To toss the rations

To a paddling of ducks. 

“Competing for scraps,”

The elder says

“Reminds me of Sunday school.”

Sand layers grass tips in khaki  

Portions disappear to shade the inseam 

Censoring 

Joint

And

Twist. 

Asphalt divides barn scraps 

From graze fodder

And 

Turns the dirt gray. Bright pink lumps 

Flutter above windbreaker shadows.

(trees in the country)

(concrete slabs in the city)

Off the beaten path 

Customer satisfaction finds solace 

In prayer.

Customers as in:

Fanatics for satellite television.

Fanatics for water towers. 

Fanatics for garages designed to praise gender norms. 

Fanatics for conservative values.

Fanatics for “I’m just saying it didn’t used to be like this…”

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