Sidewalk Tango

by Charles Cuyana

Sidewalks ebbing

inch by inch,

narrowing down—

black gravel ocean

consuming the soles

of our feet.

Soon, this ocean

will break down

our gates,

then our walls,

then our homes,

until what’s left is

an inch of privacy

wrapped around

our bodies of flesh,

and from here,

we’d have to bare

everything.

We’ll regurgitate gossip

across the thin streets,

conversations lingering

around stone benches

and kilometer posts

marking the boundaries

where we let ourselves

spill on the urban concrete.

As every inch

of the road

gets eaten up,

we’ll furnish a lifestyle

where secrets

and memories

are communal.

It takes two

to tango, right?

Then let’s tip our toes

and dance

in public revelry.