Omaha Beach Moon

(from the moon series)

You smell that? Salt water. Fresh ocean air.
White seagulls up above. Small puffs of clouds
in a blue sky. This is where we should build a house.

A nice three story house with a sun room.
We can have kids and come here every summer.
Little Jackson will play in the sprinkler.

And when you come home you'll find water
all over the kitchen floor. The dogs
will love the beach. We'll spend the nights

playing scrabble and listening to waves.
You can buy a motorcycle and I'll take a trip to Rome
'on business'. And after the divorce

we'll pretend to be friends. When we both have gray
hair. We'll come here like we used to and sit
out on the deck under our memories and look at the stars.

And the moon will look down on us with pity.

Moon on the Rocks

(from the moon series)

sits on the counter top. Cold fingers
adjacent. Darts whiz through the smoky
ambiance. Clicks and dings of pinball
machines and clacks of billiards.

Watches money. Always. The alligator
skin wallets, the gold clips, the sweaty palms.
Hears nothing. The devil has no ears.

The devil pushes an empty wheelbarrow
up and down calle capitan, Four in the morning.

The tits and ass. The tight squeeze and the late
riser. Lives revolve around bars. Small planets.
Cigarette breath. Faded opportunities. Doors

swing wide to another regular and where's the new
blood in town. Probably down at Mickey's.
Another moon on the rocks.

You're just a sedative for idleness, aren't you?

Hospital Moon

(from the moon series)

He wants to practice his English
in extreme emergencies
when the demand to communicate
is a crazy hunger devouring ration.

The wooden chairs, the white walls,
the slow transition to old age, the inevitable
destination. Death looms as health waivers.

He visits hospitals of the world. In search,
in anger, in temperament. He photographs
the floors, the ceilings. The white walls
again. He tries to photograph the smell.

The sheets and the nurses and the beep beep
beep of machines keeping souls in bodies
just a little longer. He says this is the portal

to a black garden on the cold outside of the moon.

Moon or Bust 3

(from the moon series)

Has bags packed. Ready for vacation
from stars. A slow melting on beach.
A black drive through construction
zone. One pole rotates slower than the other.
Nerves settle in. Why does this always happen
she says. Therapy sessions come back.
Stands in the foyer, sweaty palms. Waits.
Licks lips. Drives through scenarios.

She folds her arms and rain starts.

Another year of work, another thousand euros.
Lightning flashes. Breath heavy. The first steps
of a rabid journey. The mountains and the memories
of dogs, always dogs. Thunder now. Door closes.

I'm sorry he says I'm not ready yet.