We are eager to break out.

Walking the neighborhood–
I in my cloud of white hair,
you in your spiky halo,
our son brandishing a beard–
we form a duckling parade
and show our manners
by crossing the street
to avoid oncoming walkers.

We compliment a stranger’s poodle
and offer a good morning 
to a sullen neighbor,
wave word wordlessly to the cyclist,
the Amazon girl, the Fed Ex guy,
the letter carrier, in fact, to everybody,
including a team of roller skaters.

A cul-de-sac congested with kids
redirects our route.
We slow down at blind corners,
the only decision 
whether to loop
one way
or the other,

big cats pacing.