summer song

After “spring song” by Lucille Clifton

(on thunder)

Why would you trust anything
that disturbed your little dog’s
loyal heart? Why would you trust
a sound that comes
before a bomb-blasted wall
or roof, or a door slammed
after a fight? How
do you trust a sound
that visits before a wound?

(on urchins)

I can’t remember
if they even have eyes
or a nose, or if every spike
is a combination of both?
They’re the ones
we’ve always been warned
to avoid and because I was
a very good girl, I did.