morning, clean and heady
palm trees sway against earliest black-blue
bass line crawls over and over, rippling to connect
the rhythm of two hearts
raring to keep it all in dream
sun begins to show as 6 a.m. beckons,
bagel shop opens,
to lives built on Saturdays, in the park (think it was the fourth of July…)
the earthy man engrossed in flow reminds me of Dad
sun climbs between us and we u-turn to watch from the beach,
the beach who is bathing in pink
pink sky, pink ocean, white sand
glowing, pink
and soft, early blue
like all is enveloped in seashell
like I am looking through mom’s eyes
each footstep beating the tune of remembrance, remembrance
her memory tumbles in, fast and heavy
a voice echoing all around
it is hard to enjoy
when the freshest memories are of how much she could not
i lose the dream, as my gaze moves from beautiful surroundings to frightened insides
I let my heart melt, and gaze at the bubbling puddle;
purple satin, hot blue pain
licks my toes, unhinges jaw
readies to swallow...
but I am at the ocean with my friend
is there nothing I can do?
maybe show her the hot, hot blue
maybe she has faced something like that, too.
if not, I can try to explain
and we will have a new color to share.
there is lots we can do with this hot hot blue.
we can cry,
make an ocean of our own,
salty snot on my green sweater.
we could dance, slow and open, letting different shades sparkle and bloom
letting the presence of plants and moonlight
wash it into a new hue
knowing that this color will die one day, too.
[Fall 2020]
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