the sun is bright and standing still, it’s alright

carry the sandwich
board to the curb,
to the street,
to the break
in the sidewalk.

it’s black, this
sandwich board,
with a white vinyl sticker
displaying the name of
a store.

set the sandwich
board on the small
patch of grass,
just next to the
street, just up from
the curb,
a pace over from
the sidewalk break.

check the wind,
adjust the splay
of the sandwich
board to accommodate
for gusts.
arrow on the sign
pointing
the correct way;
just down the small
streak of rubble,
to the small,
hidden,
store.

walk back from
the sidewalk,
the curb,
the street,
to the small,
hidden,
store.

stand inside,
quietly or
not—it’s up
to you.

after four hours,
walk back to
the street,
the curb,
the broken
sidewalk.

the top of the sandwich
board has a cutout
on each of its two panels.
you can close up
the splay of the boards
and fit your hand into
the cutout,
careful not to pinch
your skin.

walk back to the
small,
hidden,
store.
rest the sandwich
board against an
interior wall.

let it rest.