Michael Pontacoloni
Two Poems
Hydrant
I apologize for my arms.
They are so short,
these cold, blunt
hexagons.I want only to hug,
to squeeze.For now they hold
back that surge.
Hold it roiling
below my shell.When the fire comes
my rocket-like bodywill grow the smothering tentacles
of a whale-destroying squid.When our whale has beached itself
I will keep it wetuntil your tender triceps
roll it back to sea.Street Hockey
Sometimes
the tennis
ball would
roll into
the stormdrain so I
would lie on
my stomach
toes in theroad and lift
it out with
a hockey
stick. OnceI dropped the
stick in the
drain. It’s
still there nowthat I am
strong enough
to lift the
grate.