On My Street

On My Street

strangers--

brown house

brown windows

brown inside

they have eyes

for only a moment through

the shades

or darting back

to the ground

to the rake handle

or spade

when the sky

goes black

lightning cracks open

the darkness between us

our trees dance

at night

the mercy

of sky and tree

I know, but

there are things

we have not yet seen

so cruel

so violent

we can't afford to be

strangers