Bernadine Lortis

Yellow streaks spread
through pouring rain
with each sweep
of the windshield´s wing

as kindergartners follow
drenched school patrol flags
across the shining street
before their light turns red.

Wrestling windblown umbrellas
hidden in lemon plastic ponchos
they splash through puddles
in flopping rubber boots

a line of freshly-hatched goslings
so new to a world they´ll survive
only to learn about in snatches
that will break their hearts

as did this old one
that idles like an engine
about to sputter out of gas.