Waxer

Waxer

I once watched a man wax a hallway

with an overweight rotary buffer

that he waltzed from one side to the other

by tipping it ever so slightly, letting

the bristles on one side get a grip

on the floor, drawing the big machine

in that direction, then artfully tipping it

into the opposite, letting it lead, letting it

whirl him out over the beautiful shine

that the two ofthem made as they

swept down the hall, the man always

in charge but cajoling his partner

into believing that she was, stealing

the show while the man merely followed.

the two swirling out over the gloss

from the overhead lighting, gracefully

rounding a corner and gone.