An elephant blocks the sun.
Only as long as it takes for her to walk past.
A baby grasps her tail.
It eyes me as I remain sitting on the bus stop bench.
Soon come orangutans, flamingos
and many non-carnivorous species.
A zookeeper at the end of line
informs me they are on a school field trip.
They visit Lew Wallace Elementary today
to observe children learning their letters.
I observe them wait patiently
and in good order
for the traffic light to change
at Sixth and Lomas before crossing.
copyright © 2023 Kenneth P. Gurney
Umflop 