underdog
they say timing is everything, the kids right now
they can’t appreciate how
we would make fun where there was none
we had world war vets that built
our slides
our swing sets, twelve-feet tall
and galvanized, heavy chain all browned by use
and oxidation
kids would swing in great parabolas, ample space for
kids to race below that’s how it’d go
to lay in wait the backswing, steppin’ lively when it’s time
to run
like hell knowing full well
like something’s chasing close behind, underdog
is what we called it
is what
we screamed when
we ran, until the dog gets caught and so i was
that day
that johnson kid, they didn’t try to miss
me tripping, caught
me square
where all went slipping, falling breathless far beyond
where child and earth converged
oh dolores
please
excuse me
i’m so sorry
i overstay
i overshare
i spillover
over and over
everywhere
were you born in a barn
she barked at me,
i thought
maybe was
raised by wolves,
that joke
you know, he
walked into a bar
another round
was bought
of homemade for
the baying,
broke
disciples at
the door, ajar
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