She was
sitting on the curb across from my delivery spot.
She was
looking down at her feet,
covered in dirty socks.
Her clothes and other things were
stuffed into an old grocery store cart
parked next to her.
I made my drop off and
walked over to her.
“Do you need some help?” I
asked while
holding out a ten dollar bill.
“Yes,” she said,
smiling as she took my offering.
Looking at me, she...
Need a ride?
I told him that was not what I needed,
or wanted.
As the fates would have it, I was alone,
on a dark street
in the middle of the night.
I turned away
and walked to the corner,
looking back over my shoulder.
The car drove away,
and he was gone.
I was alone again,
except for the angry-looking man
who was standing at the corner.
Alone, with me....
The tones from the mbiras combined with the rhythmic rattle of the hosco shakers was hypnotic. He had been in the dark rondavel hut for hours now watching the men dance on the hard-packed dirt floor. Their dance was more like a slow parade around the hut. The singing that accompanied the music and the dancing was almost a scream was still somehow melodic.
The hut as at the center of a small villa...
I.
The look on his face
Is sad
determination.
He seems to know grace
And to be done with
procrastination.
II.
His has learned, I think,
How to die
Well
He is not going to blink,
And he has no stories to
Tell.
III
Where did he learn to be so strong?
His look is a
call.
It isn’t long
Before he jumps or fakes a
Fall.
IV
You can see a kind of homing
In the eyes that look
Ahead
He learne...
“No No, this is heaven. We are not going to take your device away,” said the cute little cherub-like angel as she handed me back my phone. “The only thing is, up here your phone has only one app, everyone loves it. In fact, the other heavenly souls spend so much time ‘on’ this app that some of us think the whole thing is just a bad idea. But, no worries, the app is already installed on your phone ...
Covid, Covid, Covid now
creates casualties and
confuses capacities.
Covid, Covid, Covid now
closes curtains and
clears doorways.
Covid, Covid, Covid now
chooses certain creatures
to collapse and crush.
Certainly scientific studies
can clear a corridor to
a cure for this disease.
The sure conundrum is
can citizens of all characters
choose community over
catastrophe?...