Highlights in the History of Concrete

Men along Church St., hardened [tab5]in pre-stressed, low-riding[/tab5] Jeans and T-shirts reinforced [tab5]by shaved chests, like joining[/tab5] In pairs on humid sidewalks [tab5]gossip aired while eyeing[/tab5] Strangers who, passing, glance back [tab5]the CN Tower tenting[/tab5] Heat unbuttoning the lake [tab5]a spindle for craven[/tab5] Twirling, observation deck [tab5]a tossed cap the heavens[/tab5] Turn heads for—stars beyond us [tab5]as we rotate, sharpen[/tab5] Our view—the fast streets below [tab5]a roulette wheel maddened[/tab5] Moments after breezy men— [tab5]Centaurs lured from the woods—[/tab5] Jump the line into the baths [tab5]each night a celled errand[/tab5] Of longing they swap for steam [tab5]piped in with stray husbands[/tab5] Who skirt drowsy wives to pay [tab5]at the door, unquestioned[/tab5] Goliaths so shy each towelled [tab5]boy floors, a postmodern[/tab5] David sauntering past them [tab5]Toned limbs not yet broken[/tab5] Every construction worker [tab5]parsed rib by rib, slattern[/tab5] Aggregates of flexed muscle [tab5]crushed into love’s midden[/tab5] Roads resurfaced with asphalt [tab5]and despoiled aspirations—[/tab5] Unmoved crowds steamrolling by [tab5]eyes held askance, wanton[/tab5] Potholes scooped for filling, lost [tab5]men run down by passions[/tab5] Poured too fast, levelled and stoned [tab5]by yearnings well-fathomed[/tab5] While high in the dark we spin [tab5]our wheels in this tower[/tab5] Its grey shaft the moon shines smooth [tab5]’til elation flowers[/tab5] A lantern to the fallen [tab5]should lust veer off-kilter[/tab5] When, far below, salt-hard men [tab5]dissolve time by the hour.[/tab5]