Love in the Empty Can

A hungry bear licks
the residue in the can that
smells good, not so bad taste,
unaware of the sharp edges,
unaware of the injured skin,
that haunts it with pain.

A little girl in the window winces,
she knows that the red drops
from the black bear aren’t the petals.

Before trashing the empty can,
the girl envisions the neighbors
and swish the can under the running water,

with love for her friends.

©Byung A. Fallgren