Sometimes on a Summer Afternoon with my Dog

We go to a nearby park and sit on the grass

And watch young men from Africa

and Central America play soccer

kicking with skill I can only dream of

these are lawn workers and kitchen staff

with so much passion and energy

after a day’s work or before

a grueling nightshift, they run

back and forth on the green grass

never minding the heat

sometimes the ball comes my way

and I stand and toe kick it

they laugh, and I laugh because

the ball rolls helplessly about fifteen feet

After a while me and the dog

stand and stretch and wave goodbye

and I am happy to know these

wonderful people are part of my world.