09 May 2005

Nature of the City (By Carol Clark Williams)

Nature of the City

Day cranks the sun across its designated arc,
metallic blue against serrated edges
of shingled city rooftops, colonial spires.

Automatons open doors marked enter,
and/or exit, according to their daily programs
while parking meters track the time.

Mechanical birds chirp tonelessly,
informing the visually challenged
at intervals when they may enter crosswalks.

From the fenced-in churchyard tree,
recorded hawks shrill repetitious litanies,
attempting to banish blackbirds.

In the park, helmeted workers drive small noisy tractors
across cultivated turf, rough macadam paths,
and carefully prune evergreens into perfect squares.

by Carol Clark Williams (2005)