florida joggers

     through the whole summer of liquid iron
     we had been running every noon
     day after day
     mile after mile
     some of us in sweat
     some with a smile
     this guy one step behind his stomach
     another a step ahead of his own ass
     it's not a thinking game
     it's not chess
     the slower the pace
     the faster the tongues
     degrading women spilling ethnic jokes

     and so we run en masse
     on the Peripheral Road
     between the stomach and the ass


wlodzimierz holsztynski ©
1983/1988