a girl's hope

night was different
steam was missing
weight was lifted
the light was so
that friends called to tell me
did you see the light?
it was 8 oclock
but now its nine
a rabbit leaps across
from one side of
the city street to another
passing a car
like an ambitious deer

i pass two men
and their bushels
boxes
carts
and collections
one topless and in shorts
sifting through their booty
the other
sitting on the cardboard
mat
leaning against the abandoned wall
he made a sigh
like the kind a desperate man makes

A couple passed me by
he smelled like a lover past
I smiled
remembering the thrill of that whiff

A few friendly calls
a scoop of chocolate gelato
and home was close by
I wasn't ready to say good night
the breeze
like an inviting wave in the ocean
I stayed out
another circle around the block

An alley way
like a straw
I went through
there were no decisions
no turns
I followed
and it spit me out
onto the road

There was a promise
somewhere
I felt as if I was chasing it
down one of these
streets
I felt it
dangling before my eyes
it was there
there was a promise somewhere
and it filled my torso
with a girl's
hope