Reflecciones del Amor
Too late this pulse of light
throbbing belly
so aged as bark - deep mahogany
muscle aged - less the wings
Of twentysomethings
in bed, the softness evades
such skin - gloms to strawberry
freckles not stretched, birthed derma -
Delicate sparrow to you - soaring spine
arched immaculately once upon
a passing decade ago -
Alejandro te dijo te amo -
the silver slatted morning
dawning - Benetton moments
between legs of blackness/whiteness
Some kind of torment I still hold
could I have held that torch
as Sappho; below him; three decades later
maybe a 5k - no marathon of lust
We are not capable; women who make beds
are differentiated from disco girls -
our tongues clipped; our hips manacled
by a God who cares for little children
But still we dance at 3am; limits blown
till we know the burn which holds our
hearts/it is made of mineral oil & tan lines
& short skirts & in our tired memories
We look fucking amazing spinning spinning
making out on park benches -
tracing silly ideas like para siempre
in burning sand - spring break
Zihuatanejo.
Sarasota, 1982. Ferrell Family Trip to Beach
This is my life. It's fine, isn't it.
Look at the picture of us all -
one time at the beach,
I had a sunburn, but I'm still smiling.
His white arm with the dark hair
hangs over my shoulder.
Look how I am wincing a little -
for the sunburn pain is searing
My hand could rise to swat it off -
To say: ouch, my sunburn hurts!
But it’s limp as a fish -
The children are in front.
Behind a sandcastle, which is
super, I guess, except
There was something dead
inside the sandcastle.
There was something, I knew it -
I pretended not to know.
After the picture was taken
I went back to the blanket
and repacked the cooler
Swooped the sand off
the green gingham
blanket, which had been
My mother's beach blanket -
and let it settle in the performed
depression in the sand.
I repacked the cooler once more:
so many drinks -
so much fruit, and turkey.
I had discouraged them bringing the turkey.
I rubbed aloe into my peeling flesh
it was hard not to pick at it -
So shocking and red.
The aloe unnatural and green;
glowing
There was no relief
from the sun that day.
Look how it seemed to be smiling - almost
as if it were laughing at me.
American Toad
I want to put you
in my pocket
Bring you home
gaze at your intricate webbing,
your tympanic membranes -
amazing.
Make you a home.
A box with a leaf nest,
a rock, medium sized;
A margarine tub of water
I’ll name you Sid or Oscar
Tell you
about my day - how,
I only have a
few friends.
If I have you,
I'll suddenly become
an owner
a caregiver
a mother
You'll become
my first animal.
My son.
My friend.
You too, will be
better off
Because I will keep
you safe
from storms,
birds, skunks,
humans -
I can even collect crickets
for your dinner.
Since you were alone
when I found you…
I'm pretty sure
you need me too,
don't you -
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