sweet sweat dotting the body,

muscles working, yanking, gripping,

sun bearing down like an ancient old coach above them.

the grass under their feet is dead.

the dirt is soft enough that a wrong move, and they just might slip.

run for it!

stay on the body, not the ball!

advice shouted over the screams of kids

that wish one day to be what we are:

slackers playing barefoot soccer in the park

because who needs brains this close to the summer?