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The wheelchairs
are getting a bath today a good
scrubbing down like the residents get 
on Tuesdays and Fridays        without
the gooseflesh and crying

Cal the building manager grips
the hose the long green tail and tongue 
of water     fervent tongue     eager and quick 
the nozzle full-force fast enough to lick 
dirt and germs from twenty four spokes 
per chair         Water is their shining 
raiment: black seat brown seat blue 
seat (three colors only) the sprays 
of droplets flash-flash-flash 
like healthy soul-sparks
Susan Kelly-DeWitt | Mudlark No. 38
Contents | The Limbo Suite