An April Morning Bike Ride in Kingston
"Sport field closed." An askew sign makes
no concessions to the grey morning
except bent-open chain-link, and a ring
of decayed leaves around the softened square
of grass, wet diamond, and swing.
Leaves left from fall, even though it's spring.
Across some streets, advertising adamance
still booms yellow on the beat bunker
of the shut-down no-frills food store;
pronomially vacant, a floating slogan,
once rife, on peeling-painted concrete,
on its last long echo: "Will Not Be Beat."
And under the concrete, under the mud,
a quarter of a jaw is pressed,
biting rock almost permanently,
holding on to the sheild, the molars of a Canadian lion.
Panthera atrox triumphant and always-to-be maternal,
but not this city's mother.
Ah, Top Quality Glass and Glazing,
Pat Rogers and Sons Towing, make some more promises.
A boat listing in a still gravel pond
beyond a lock of chain, no man in sight.
Elite Furniture, a swinging sign, "For Lease."
Everything slightly wet, and almost for free.
no concessions to the grey morning
except bent-open chain-link, and a ring
of decayed leaves around the softened square
of grass, wet diamond, and swing.
Leaves left from fall, even though it's spring.
Across some streets, advertising adamance
still booms yellow on the beat bunker
of the shut-down no-frills food store;
pronomially vacant, a floating slogan,
once rife, on peeling-painted concrete,
on its last long echo: "Will Not Be Beat."
And under the concrete, under the mud,
a quarter of a jaw is pressed,
biting rock almost permanently,
holding on to the sheild, the molars of a Canadian lion.
Panthera atrox triumphant and always-to-be maternal,
but not this city's mother.
Ah, Top Quality Glass and Glazing,
Pat Rogers and Sons Towing, make some more promises.
A boat listing in a still gravel pond
beyond a lock of chain, no man in sight.
Elite Furniture, a swinging sign, "For Lease."
Everything slightly wet, and almost for free.