A Higher Vantage

I pushed past the porch steps early this morning. The backyard grass was damp, so I stuck to the dry edges of concrete paving. Near the boundary fence, a garden hose sat coiled around an upright timber post. I tested the ribbed rubber loops with my boots, using them as sturdy rungs. Deliberate steps brought me to the flat top of the post. From up here, the entire alleyway opens up. I stood still, watching how the neighbor's corrugated metal shed roof catches the low morning sun, charting the angles for when I venture further out.