Today
A woman with shortly-cropped hair
(all the better to not be grabbed)
lifts seven pounds and three ounces
of innocent anger
triumphantly into the air
like a prize winning pig at the fair
straight to the arms of a
young man
furrowed creases carved into his face
who decides almost instantly
that she is the
most
beautiful
thing
he has ever seen.

A girl no more than fourteen
balanced precariously on the edge
of a porcelain tub
raises the clippers
she’s seen her father use
a hundred times on his beard
to her head
and strikes a gash
directly down center
like harvesting wheat
while confidently eyeing a bottle
of bright blue liquid
blue like the water in the distance
as it reaches the horizon
or the endless sky
in an endless summer

A man with caramel colored skin
hands dry and worn but
intricately detailed
turns a dull metal key in a dull metal frame
and opens the glass door
releasing a wave
of air pungent
and tangy
a smell from
another land far from his home
and the rich and sweet smell
of abuela’s bread
but the sourdough has become
his smell too now
and he breathes it deeply
moving behind the counter
taking it into his pores

The test came back negative
The bank error is in your favor
When can I see you again
We’ve all noticed what a good job you’re doing
I think we have that in your size

You know
your grandma used to say
there are two kinds of people
in the rain
those that dodge droplets
and those that take walks

Today
some people are dodging
and some people are walking

Take the walk
There will always be a dry towel
and the storm is breaking soon anyway