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A rectangular piece of paper,

heavy stock, maybe a water bill,

angled along the top of the bowl,

the bowl made of blue glass,

like a miniature swimming pool,

holding sea salt.

Summer sky,

pigeon unfolding like a rag first balled up then thrown:

go climb the stairs to the very top

of the water slide.

Summer bather,

belly as flat as spring leaf,

skims the water's surface,

the pattern like the pattern

of the leaf's perimeter.

In her sunglasses small image

of a flag, waving

©