Today’s poem emerged from a mishmash of prompts and experiences. Leilya over at #verselove and Ethical ELA shared her poem about a walk and then Mitch at our National Writing Project Connecting the Network call offered two other mentor poems about seeing ordinary things in new ways, and today’s lizard skittered right into my notebook.

Sidewalk Beach

“Hey friend”

where? I wonder as I search my surroundings

expecting the skitter of reptilian feet

retreating

Today was not-so-usual

in a far-from-familiar place

killing time with an every-single-day practice:

a walk

Sidewalk warmed under robin-blue skies

looked like spring break beaches

bodies lined up, rumps to the sun

crisping, browning

in perfect synchronization

Instead of sketchy skitters

as I come close, it looks at me

a question like a speech bubble

crowning its head

“Why are you here casting shade

on my sidewalk beach?”

I snap a portrait

and it skitters into the bushes

@kd0602