Sonnet of Cities

by Maura Trinder

Grainy, square-top, ten stories deep,
Played the ugly, poor, lovely, rich.
All the brown lines, to schools, homes, the streets
Population: shiny, circular, six legs – which is which?

I never wished to know their ends,
He smashed, white sneaker sole to soil, their souls.
I wondered, didn’t wish – which of them were friends?
Closer to the sky, and we’re closer to our roles.

Joe, remember, though -
When I played next to you.