Unexpected moment of kinship with the spring-loaded hamster in the playground

Your smile says it all
the chipped grit
of trying your darndest
to be as happy
as you were painted to look
while kids shove each other
off you for one more turn
riding you
like you are some bronco
not a furry rodent
for god’s sake
and all this rain
don’t they know
hamsters are from the desert
one bath can kill you
anyways
we’re clearly both cold
and stoically hoping
the sun will hurry down
so we can get some rest
before sliding inside
our smiles again
tomorrow.