Her strides are full of strength and grace,

leaving me grasping at both time and space.

When she swings back to see where I be,

I don’t know whether to come or flee....

Our celibacy evolved slowly,

emerging gradually

like a hopeful rose blooming on a dark night.

The red colors of a rose are stains,

painted with blood

drawn by it’s perfumed thorns....

Our celibacy

just evolved slowly. It

emerged in time,

like a rose blooming at night.

Roses have thorns, you know....

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....

It’s not the sex

in and of itself.

It’s how it sets me free,

honestly.

As the waves wash over us,

I can taste the ocean within you.

Breathing together.

Moving together.

Collapsing together....

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?...