Window Washer (Present): Basketball (Past)

the squeegee on blue windows
forty stories up
the squeak of new Chuck Taylors
on the honey-coloured court

the traffic cop windmilling
a hive of taxis on past
that same silent-for-now whistle
on the ref’s about-to-blow kisser

the royal thumb crushing a bug
against the cold wet glass
the coach’s forefinger cursing
the next play on his chest

the secretary sinks the file
with a wink and a hip
the ball slinks through the net
like the same through a slip

the gauze of exhaust cotton-softening
the candy taillights
the old scoreboard glowing pink in its cage
at the end of time