Fifth day of the year—
despite six inches of snow,
four boys play football.
Flute
No one plays the flute,
so it plays itself, startling
every wren in town.
Checkers
First day of the month—
two old men playing checkers
lose track of their moves.
Chess
first spring afternoon—
two old men in brown felt hats
playing chess outdoors
Players
every afternoon
in the shadow of a church
old men playing chess
Shoes
The girl with blue shoes
leaves them outside the back door
to play with the stars.
Locusts
eating the locusts
that ravished my only crop—
turnabout’s fair play
