At The Public Pool
Swiping black skins
viscous as turtle licks
Water spit in arcs by euro
boys, by brown boys
Stealing slick glances at lifeguard
legs
Swooshing below the carbonated foam
At the public pool
Contrary to public opinion at
Shorewood
(Members Only. Seven hundred per family)
There are no riots at the public
pool
Tasers unholstered nor dogs
unleashed
At the public pool
No “Where do you live?” No report cards
Or talk of college visits. The
children simply
Believe in water, the water is
everywhere
Your kids are everywhere in the
world
At the public pool
Mothers in lots of skin,
tattooed, puffing
Two-pieced acumen on the shrewd grass
Their children’s toes are getting
raw
On reduced ticket prices with a
free hot dog
At the public pool
When guards blow whistles they
scan the bottom
As the surface grows to glass and
everyone
Slick and full and burned dreams
of Dollar Tree
Benidiciones de pura vida de la piscina
At the public pool
Squeal if you want, watch the glistening
flesh
Freedom and goosebumps and cigarette
smoke
Just hide it under your towel and
you can dunk
Under the same ochre sun
At the public pool