Alejandro Escudé

PRÉCIS

A grasshopper landed
on my windshield as I drove

Friday afternoon,
like picking up a hitchhiker,

chameleon green,
undeterred by speed.

He cleansed his ends
like a cat as I drove,

I parked so he could saunter
to my roof and fly off.

Afterward, I picked up
my little boy at a park

where I watched him play
with older kids;

one girl held his hand
as they ran

playing an easy game
of hide-and-go-seek

seeing me he sat
and began to cry,

the girl sat with him
and stroked his hair.

Then I carried him to the car.

—from Rattle #37, Summer 2012