late for pickleball
and not a space in the lot
I bet Joni’s never played
I cruise down a street
park in front of a glare of aluminum
two wounded cars on a dirt lawn
one on blocks a front door wide open
I lock the car
swallow some worry
trudge the hot black skin
pass more Reynolds wrap
injured cars dead grass
and not a single door that
opens to Joni’s paradise
six minutes later I reach
a beautiful parking lot
tree-shaded with healthy cars
and the trees are in bloom
so happy bees and black birds
bolting through and under them
So I’m sorry to disagree Joni
Really sorry
Sorry If you haven’t noticed
parking lots have trees now
though you did get it right
about parking spaces
you don’t know what
you got till it’s gone
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