At the Water Bubbler

The sun is big over your head
and you need the water
to make it small again.

But I’m here first,
big over your head too,
and bathing my salty noggin

in the bubbler, oblivious to you,
who wait patiently,
small under everything,

and respecting
the understood nyah nyah
that age and size carry with them,

like a gang
that will keep you small
unless you wait

in your place
like a tiny soldier
at ease.

Published in Pavement magazine