A Walk in the Park

This heat is like swimming in chalk,

like mouth to mouth from a man

made of wool. Everyone moves

as if lost. I’ve got a penny in my mouth

I mean, the air tastes like bronze 

and the grass at the park is a witchy scratch.

Behind emaciated trees, the geriatric

couples quarrel, quorums of crust punks 

feed scraps to their kittens, the day 

camp kids scream duck! duck! Doritos!

and there is a fountain. Copper frogs caught

in a spitting contest. Everyone is here, 

no one is watching. When I peel off my socks, 

knot my hair, strip to my under lace and plunge.

Two feet deep and the color of bile, how sweet

and cool. A thousand small arms lift me. I bathe

and get born in tossed wishes.