Risers

In a paean to the sun, the little hydrant raises chained arms

to sing to the sunlight, to tell it of its joy;

finally the days of having cold snows thrown onto him

by passing plows are over. The sunny yellow

hydrant casts a shadow that boasts of water pressure

within that far exceeds his visible size.

Lurking in a shadowed corner of a downtown building, 

this riser boasts four heads, its spigots thoughtfully

arranged for easy access by the firefighters who may

need them.

While the red door indicates the risers within have their own shelter, 

the yellow one remains outside, perhaps as sentry.