The cat steps through the front yard crosswise.
The rose climbs the trellis lattice-wise.
The girl stretches out on the hammock lengthwise.
The birds perch on the lip of the feeder edgewise.
The bees extend their search for pollen likewise
and rotate through the garden clockwise.
The sunlight creeps under the trees slantwise.
The same trees extend their substantial roots plot-wise.
Couples are preordained to look at each other pair-wise,
more like blue jeans than scissors, two legs made one.
Somehow they’ve learned to pinch pennies, moneywise,
and keep themselves busy employment-wise,
though they’d rather be sleeping, sailing, otherwise
wishing they were fishing. They are no more wiser
than other wise guys, who draw attention to themselves,
except in avoiding the limelight, publicity-wise.
