The burger's ketchup
oozes to one side like a slur
when he chomps down
on the overdone patty,
 
the street filling up with word
after word, not people
as once thought, but names
for things like telephone, lobster
 
and butter. Ice cubes clink
in the safety of the paper cup.
Once released, they will skirt
on the paving slabs like language
spinning on the tongue.