the unpaved road

the workers

in bright orange
lime

green, highway vests, tight
and full

around these men
with shovels

and picks.
signs
and rubber cones.

they smoke and laugh.

the day is young as they
grumble
forward

to the long unpaved
ribbon
of road
ahead of them.

there is work to do
under
the melt of sun.

it's early, hours and hours
left to go

before they're done.