Off to Work

The crunch

of gravel 

beneath the beaten bike.

Every other jingle and jangle

of the broken brake

echoes across the small lake,

steam rising

into the cool morning air.

Clouds overhead confirm

the day’s predicted weather

and my hot breath

floats across the road.

Passing the house on the corner,

I grab the jingling brake

to silence it

and taking one last breath

I hold it.

I slowly bike by,

my heartbeat booming 

in my ears and

I fear it will give 

away my location.

A short rustle

and from the corner

of my eye I see the dog

bound over the six-foot-tall fence.

I let my breath out in a scream

and it pierces the silent morning.

I can feel the dog’s hot breath on my heels

and I can hear his panting as if right behind my ears.

I look over my shoulder

and the dog trots back to his territory.

Back to do his business in the dewy grass

and back to his warm dog house.

I let go of the break 

that’s still in my hand.

I hear it ding 

on the frame and

the crunch

of gravel 

beneath the beaten bike.