Afternoon (November)

Nine things on a hot November afternoon. Shadows of branches and leaves pattern the concrete footpaths. Out of the glare, cold water in bottles in the bakery fridge, consoling. School children sprawled all through the carriage, showing off, using ‘like’ language. White clouds below white clouds far as the blue hills. So many kinds of butterfly after weekend rain. On a trimmed nature strip a supermarket trolley upsidedown, a long way from home. Square solar panels on poles, totems staving off crisis. Streets of round faces fixed on oblong hands. Bird of paradise flowers, each turning in a different direction.