izzy

9.
Sumatran tigers have replaced all the lollipop people on the southern coast
it happened overnight – no one’s entirely sure how –
but things have never been better
some people credit it to the government, some to the opposition,
others feel it’s more of a grass roots movement kind of thing
either way, everyone’s in agreement that it was a brilliant idea

*

sarah

Maraschino cherry noses bob against the window pane, smearing grimy squiggles across the glass. The heat quickens. The dog is grumbling underfoot, half hound, half cushion, and trending ever more towards the latter. Sun blares. The children press fat patty-cake hands into each others’ shoulders, straining to see, sweating plump droplets to spoil the petunias with too much salt.

*