Population

Population

A red metal frog plays the sax

like he means it in the back corner 

of the front lawn of a brick house

along the 10-blocks I walk with a 4-year old.

Technically we’re going to the library.

We stand for some time, as we do.

Sonny says, Wanna see what that frog looks like?

I say, Yeah. And he does an impersonation 

of the frog and the saxophone.

I say, You know I never even noticed that —

and I don't want to say, Woman

with the breasts, so I say Mermaid

except she isn’t. More, an ocre-colored siren. 

Sonny says, the one leaning back? Yeah.

Then a man’s voice 

from under the cover of the front porch.

Was he there the whole time?

Every time?

He says, I’m glad you like my garden.

I say, We do. We do. We look at each other 

across the lawn. Beads on a necklace.