October Afternoon

0.3 miles
The most beautiful splashes
of nature hit me
when I am running alone
breathing too hard to speak.

The oars of rowers
move as if attached like
fingers on a hand,
clawing through the silvery blue.

Trees with burning leaves
red yellow brown
are poisoned by the
grayness of industry
K-mart and Walgreenıs with their
barrel-bottom prices.

I peer down the
Charlesı crooked spine
and see light trickling between the
suspended balls of cotton;
the sun always teases Cambridge.

1.9 miles
In the beaten path
a narrow hallway of the
red yellow brown
My feet must be nimble
to dodge the puddles,
the mothers with baby carriages,
the marathon runners in the off season,
the first-time roller blader,
the boy with a brand new bike.

Under the BU bridge we go
past the BU beach
the green knoll of grass
strewn with girls that
have peacoats and black pants
and highlights and black paint
on their eyes and in their Kate Spade shoulder bags.

Under Massachusetts Avenue
where I am racing
(and winning)
the bright yellow taxicabs
the maroon soccer mom vans
and the dingy, formerly white Mack trucks
all stagnant in the rush hour traffic.

3.1 miles
Onto the esplinade
where the honking fades away
and tickles my cochleaıs hairs
with the soft sounds of
dead leaves skating on pavement,

3.4 miles
- - -and lovers swathed in scarves and blankets:
talking about how in love they are
and kissing on the cold wooden benches

3.5 miles
- - -and a man with no shirt
sprinting with stopwatch in hand
passes me on the left:
what is his dream?

the ramp onto Long fellow
steep enough to make me
shift into a higher gear

3.9 miles
- - -into the stairwell
filled with the stench of
last nightıs urine
(filled with the odor of homelessness)

I peer up the Charlesı winding spine
and this time I see
white fins circling around its back
drawing waves in the
golden blue.

4.6 miles
Past the restaurant where
only a few still
choose to sit outside.
The people eating exchange looks
with me,
and we agree we are in different
states of mind.
I clear my throat and spit on the sidewalk
for emphasis.

5 miles
I slow to a walk and wipe my forehead
with my sleeve
before the sweat gets in my eyes
and I sit on the corner
and stretch
as people in a hurry walk by me.

I sing in the shower and
get to class late
the only one
in lecture with wet hair.

Kay Tye