right hand pointing

rain severs the city

into halves, quarters, millionths,

the peripheral visions of

a passerby—

cigarettes nestled in

the zigzag of cobblestones

a damp brown paper bag

clinging to the neck of a bottle

summer’s soft breath

holding itself – still –

against the fishnetted legs

stepping into an off-duty taxicab

as the night is ending and the storm

is glossing the streets—

in streaks of redyellowgreen,

in halves, quarters, millionths.