Sitting on a park bench overlooking a playground
Where a beautiful child
Eyes wily but kind
Jet black locks like ivy vines
Stood on the dodgeball field screaming for others to play with
string after string of dripping red hearts dangling from wiry fingers
Edges salted white hoping others don't come near
A boneless Ali bouncing little patters
Desperately hoping for the foolish idea
of a shelter that won't
tear and fall after thirty suckerpunch holes in its walls

Dec 29, 2019