THIS EVENING

Feel the limbs stretch out,
the tightness in the thighs loosen, the
arms moving smoothly to the
rhythm of the blood
engorged calves, shins, ankles and feet.
Feel the stomach hold itself
against the long back
elongated from the taunt buttocks.

Feel alive to evening breeze

singing in the ears

washing through the hair. Feel the feet sink
into spongy softness of
undulated grass.
Sit, rest, on surrounding stone apron
at children’s circus sands of
thrilled voices. Listen
to layers of traffic sounds, humming,
roaring, blaring, beeping. Stop.
Breath deeply the warm

waning sun’s heat, walk with an even

pace, feel how the feet roll in
the shoes, embracing
the ground, feel the shoulders fall in line
with the rhythm of the legs,
feel the weight of the
hands, smell the absence of aromas,
savor the moist heat building
within the forehead
legs and groin. Hear the sounds retreating
as the flat feet pull up the

buttocks, thighs, knees, calves,

stomach; sucking in the heavy breath,
on the final path that takes

me home this evening.