Tiny Brief Communities

Three adolescents and two old folks
On a sailboat for an afternoon.

An audience half made of tourists
Assembled and clapping at dance camp.

Think of your own, recent or ancient.
All those strangers packed in a small jet.

The species excels at this, excels
At getting together in mixed groups

That form tiny, brief communities
Without conflict and then dissipate

Amicably. It doesn’t always
Work, but so often it does, it hints

What kind of casually mobile,
Lightly linked, recombinatory

World you could be if you could only
Always be like this, like language is.