i thought i saw a monkey

i thought i saw a monkey
standing on the sidewalk
dirty jeans a size too big
hanging low on his hips

i thought my new glasses
would help me to see right
but as i got closer
to my great surprise
there was no monkey at all
just an old fire hydrant paint peeling
with some cast iron showing through
in random rusty patterns
that i saw {primate}

how can i trust these eyes that
age and atrophy
just when my inner vision's
growing wise



mary oishi
4 may 2006