On an exercise jaunt--
A walk around the vicinity...

Cut grass and dry leaves are swept,
Collected from the sidewalk; a neighbor,
Some houses along the row, sits on a
Front step, reads phone messages, waits
For a bicycling partner to arrive and trek.

Turn the corner, left...

Straightaway, cars speed over twenty-five
Miles an hour, per block; every other tenth
Mile increment, a hard break, hard stop: sign.

Quick, right...

Blaring from a stockroom side door and
Bodega entrance, rumba cha cha permeates
The sound waves.

Make a left...

People wait at the corner and look down
The street for the trolley.

Continuing onward, West African friends
Chat, share concerns over the latest
Family whereabouts.

At the crosswalk, a pickup truck encroaches,
Rolls closer to the painted line as pedestrians
Pass by: some stare into the driver's vacant
Eyes; some peer into the dormant headlights
Of the vehicle.

Out of a parking lot, vibrates a glazed royal blue
SUV augmented with dark tinted windows,
Polished racing rims, and shiny tires;
Bass-boosted trap beats thump.

On the next block, a small truck is unloaded;
DIYers struggle when a carried couch collides
With the apartment building doorjamb.

A trolley approaches; the overhead electrical
Lines' tension twangs.

Startled.

Sneaking past--
A tuned-out speed monologist wearing earbuds?!
Utterances from the one-sided conversation emanate.

Turn right at the park...

A father chases after children, soaking them with
A neon water blaster.

Benched people read a book, stare off into space,
Think out loud to the person sitting beside.

A sharp left...

Ahead, an outmatched older brother plays
Two-on-one basketball.

On the other half court, passionate emotion
Hoops a four-on-four pickup game, rivets
The attention of those keeping score,
Jeering friends.

Several yards further, playground swings swing
Toddlers--occasionally propelled by a guardian.

Meanwhile, a wheelchair laden veteran wades
In the shade beneath noble trees similarly Aged.

Before changing course on this becoming trudge,
An open-air cafe captures coffee drinkers, who,
If prolonged, sip refills and snack on pastries.

Left...

A few blocks uphill, a gas station, shuttered
Storefronts--a former boxer juts his chin as
He makes his rounds.

An eatery serves customers holiday brunch.

Having their fill, a couple travelers load weekend
Luggage into the trunk of a car, shuttle to the airport,
Make their getaway.

Cresting, the final left turn...

Heading for home at a slower pace--noticed are perched
Plants on a deck receiving proper attention.

Splish.

A displaced bucket, paper towels, a curbside residential
Carwash--someone inside sprays, wipes the windshield.

An air-conditioner whirs, drips.

A merry whistler flip-flops, "hello".
Taken from a water bottle, a swig.

Key inserted into lock [turned, extracted],
The door is opened, closed.