then the bluebirds went ballistic
and all the kids in the park
cheered for the five who were running down the field
the fat one left standing alone in the middle
half bent overhis fingers splayed on his knees
his breath having taken him as far as it could go
half watched them runhalf cheeredand half stared at the grass
considering the possibility that it might be his final resting place
and then turned his eyes back up to the sky
there was a stain of blue on the side of his tshirt
and i thought
either his mother was careless in doing the laundry
or he had to wash his own clothes
and that thought
since he wasn't more than eight years old
and his shoes not as nice as the other kids
made me feel bad for calling him fat

but the bluebirds went ballistic
and i had to notice the rainbow
they seemed to be pulling out of the cespool of downtown with the strength of their beaks and
tiny hollow boned wings
you bluebirds
i thought
put me to shame
with your pride
and follow through
with chirps like that promising rainbows
and then here they are
my own rainbows
for me and the fat kid
the only two who missed the winning goal
because we were staring at the sky