roy herndon smith
outside, the play of
shadows on the street, breezes
fluttering the leaves
all goes gray and flat
as a cloud covers the sun
and the leaves fall still
in the room below
peg and mary sit, peg weeps
she thinks she’s dying
they breathe together
on this summer afternoon
outside, the sun’s back
light lies on the trunk
and branches of the plane tree
the night’s a ways off
dust 