As waves of June heat rolled
the locusts of frogs filled greedy
lawns drinking up moisture from
mechanized arms creating green
where barren fields should lie and earlier
we would lay on sidewalks drying from
follies in shoddy above ground pools
who had no right to stand just to crack an egg and watch it cook
on asphalt while men gathered in alleys to discuss
the unimportant things over clanking beer bottles
nestled away in coolers doubling as outdoor couches
while young girls, gussied up, practiced for dance recitals
till the sun fell over the flatlands and the frogs began to croak
so brown bag in hands we’d scoop up amphibian friends
only to have urine flow between fingers and drop our prey
into prisons carriers collected from the Stop-N-Go
I remember those laden carriers brimming with creatures
calling to a cooling moon until the soaked bottom gave out
and frogs found their freedom once again