Eight Block Walk to Work
by Ru
(written in 1998)

she steps
on the spine of the mother
in the mother of the state
in the state of the country
in the country of the world
in the world of the galaxy
in the galaxy of the universe

she steps
on the cement of the sidewalk
the sidewalk above the worm colony
the colonies that house so many tiny rooms
and corridors and hallways and rooted flowers in bloom

she steps
under the trees
and the leaves and the birds
and the butterflies and mosquitoes
and the seeds floating down like kisses in her hair

she walks
by the coffee shop
and the art gallery
and the insurance company
and the cute man sitting on his porch having coffee
and smoking a cigarette

She wonders
and wanders and ponders here and yonder
What if he
walked over
to her