THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE PLAYGROUND 

In the high weeds

of the northwest corner,

far from the playground nun,

boys, huddling together

smoked their idea of cigarettes:

dry leaves rolled in newspaper. 

For a light,

they focused sunlight,

through a magnifying glass

onto a dry leaf. 

The aromatic odor

of the smoke arising,

from a brown curling leaf,

tightened the ties

of orphan lives. 

In this far off corner,

boys launched their ideas

of airborne explosives. 

Tying string

to the four corners

of a handkerchief,

then to a short

but sturdy twig,

they'd put some dirt,

and

a rock inside,

then hurl it high

into the sky. 

With glee

they'd watch

the dust-like smoke,

puff out,

as their chutes,

billowing out,

came floating down! 

 

(May 31, 2002)