Green Grass and Ice Cream

are real, but not so often
to those
hiding away at the top of
stairwells in big city apartments

backyard garbage
visited by raccoons and other
feral creatures. Shut-in
from the joys of life, poorer kids
wave to neighbour-friends
dressed in brand name clothes,
hurrying off somewhere

fingers drumming iPods,
sneakers blinking new decorations.
So hot up here on a
Saturday morning vigil, momma
at work and
babysitter watching TV.

© Richard L. Provencher