like a real

In the event of

stretching my legs

I'll see the half moon 

on the blue afternoon sky 

and a Christian education center
and some LA bumper stickers

I'll be blinking at Valencia's

suspiciously healthy grass

so glowing green that

I'm ready for a dinosaur 

don't people know 

that worrying doesn't get you 

to the place you're worrying about 

not getting to?

try writing self help

why do I feel like I know
essentially

how to be alive? 
I mean

one step at a time 

but

don't worry

walking around sweater

tied around my waist

not loving my outfit
not wearing a bra

how old do they think I am?

horrible things don't 

need to happen in order 

for someone to be worth listening to

right?

the man behind me 

is on a motor scooter 

I think because he can't walk

and he's listening to an audio book

out loud

LeRoi Jones said it
ghosts 
of after school figures 
who live here? 

toddlers wearing jeans...
middle schoolers wearing

big backpacks and new

primary colors

cool authority

with an earring

cul-de-sac-ville 

Old Course way
a shooter somewhere
a lockdown
a big belly
sunglasses and
fancy flip flops
meaningless shadows
Novela way
bikey boys
doors without windows
Dorado drive

Merry Pope
Chimney Rock road
it's not what it sounds like
gridded shrubs
who's who's
this attitude
this "bridge"
"this" place!

my man on the scooter
seeing it all the same?
unless he's blind or

Avenida jolita
has this park ever been dangerous?
a shooter somewhere
they're taking a video
a girl with a spray bottle 

on the basketball court

pretty sisters smile at me
on their after school bike ride
what do they know?
I'm "very interested" 

in gum spots and pretty sisters

a shady non-bench
a barking squirrel

let the sun be inside of me

let the flies be in front of me

positioned near a pool

outside it's gate so

alone in the day that 

I'm calling attention 

to my legs if I stretch them