Homesickness

Marie Summers took a course in Commercial
and a diploma landed her in the city candling eggs
where the elevated’s roar was like music
and pavements moved under her feet on rollers
until spring came without spring’s features
and turned loose the lonesome hounds.
At last she dried her eyes and went home
and the boys clotting the drugstore
sniffed her sophistication eagerly.
But Marie only wept like a fool
at the sight of Monday’s washing on the line
cookies cooling on the table
and a sun that walked like a giant
on everybody’s grass.