standing on the balcony
listening to the city
at 9:21pm

the security man
saying something
to someone
indiscernible

a small truck
that sounds like a car
if not for the tarp
hanging, flapping
from the back

a dog’s nails
on the sidewalk
leashed to a late
night walker

the swinging
of an ungreased hinge
down at the lobby
of my apartment building

a scooter
to weak to be
a motorcycle
maybe a moped

a skateboard’s wheels
that rap-rap
on sidewalk cracks

a semi, sirens
farther off

the clink of metal
on a collar
another dog walker

swinging, a heavier
exterior metal gate
more well greased

woosh, woosh
more cars go by

mostly cars
cars and people

vroom-vroom
a rice burner
farther off

and the sirens
still going

and a motorcycle
this time for sure
stronger than
the scooter

the keys of the security man
thrown and caught
on a lanyard
clink, clink, clink

the squeak
of his sneakers
pacing back and forth

a plane, like a propeller
not like a car
but maybe a car

a big semi
this one closer
brakes squeaking

it is early june
and brisk

my screen
sliding shut

as i step
back inside