Sand Between Toes

A Poem


this park
here I played, unobtrusive

swinging between
branches
with sand caught between my
toes
at days end.


now it is cocktails at
six
and the freeway's hard scale;

and the park is on the car
dashboard
little swings and slides

a tiny sand box;

and the trees, holding
me
in my seat, safely
as the car

twirls like a candy ribbon ---

and my mom holds me in her branches
saying
“You almost fell off the swing, silly boy!”

I will keep the sand
that sticks between my toes in a
jar
close to the ignition.