walking

a city block

you’ll see a red hand

come into view

at the intersection

up ahead

and maybe a number

beside it

counting down

or

if you’re lucky

a white man

telling you to walk

but the trick

is to time your steps

depending on when

you see the signal

slowing

if the red hand

is already counting down

and there’s no way

for you to make it

so as to reduce

your time

waiting at the corner

if arriving

just as the red hand

turns solid

or speeding up

if you see the white man

to catch it in time

and cross

playing this game

on mornings

you’ve decided to walk

instead of

taking a car or bus

sometimes

getting lucky

and catching the white man

for blocks in a row