DOING TIME

The dog is     barking, circling

Children

sliding down stair rails

sliding down halls screaming

refuse to obey

Someone is going

to let in a

monkey

Musicians arrive.

The clarinetist.

The violist and his

viola.   The pianist and

her assistant pushing a piano.

The drummer, the

bass drum and cymbals on wheels.

The horn man.   A

cellist, an oboe, a

violin, a violin, a violin

while athletes push past.

Athletes! wearing hats and helmets

and face masks and padding, cleats

red checked jackets, hip high boots;

Athletes hauling reels and rods or

pucks and sticks or bats and balls

or rackets and

Girls are

climbing

the windows

handing in

homemade cookies dead flowers fish

by the tankful        trunks        barrels

The delivery boys are coming:

They are bringing milk,

& coffee cake & whiskey

& laundry clean sheets

colliding at the doorway,

tripping over babies and drumsticks, slipping and .....

Let’s eat

the children.