SUPERMARKET


I want chocolate!
I want a muffin!
I want potato ships!

But on my list
I have writing different things
Nonetheless I get some pastries
For the boys

I push the shopping cart
Towards the dairy section
I am looking for Swiss sour cream

A midlife lady looks at me
And says I am sorry
And then she walks away
Her eyes focusing on the floor
Slowly pushing her cart

When I am about to pay
For the bread
A tall American
Long white hair and beard
Blue eyes
Older but healthy
Dressed like a sea shaman
Asks the clerk to help him
With the ingredients of
A carton of soy milk

When the clerks informs him
He gives a radiant smile
And shows his hands
One giving thumbs up
The other holding
The carton of Ades

el carro verde


una niña vestida de verde
escoge flores
en el jardín de mi madre

camina lentamente
apuntando con sus dedo índice
las que llaman su atención

cuando sostiene 3 flores
en sus pequeñas manos
3 colores diferentes
camina hacia la calle
donde un auto la espera

detrás de las persianas
considero lo que acaba de ocurrir
recuerdo mi infancia

AROUND NOON


When my car broke down
We pushed it backwards
Uphill amongst traffic

This was not the first time
This is a mechanical failure
It is as common as death & love
Two things generated
In the world of circumstance
Just like when I spoke into the microphone

Not the first time
An eco answered me
And assisted my distress

When the tow truck arrived
I watched as my car was pulled
With a winch to the top of the platform

Then we drove towards the ocean
And I told the driver I liked his truck
He said: she old
And I kept my silence

When we arrived at the mechanic’s shop
My car was placed on the street
I paid the driver and said thank you

When the mechanic told me to get in my car
So I could steer it into the shop so his associate
And him could push the vehicle forward
I asked his associate if he could handle it
Since he looked beat & tired
He look into my eyes and said
I am married… I have no choice

BUENA SOMBRA LO COBIJA


The lady to my left
Made for a good conversationalist
It didn’t take long to strike
A good dialogue
It was somewhat eerie
Because she looked like
My ex wife

An old lady at the front of the line said:

Buena sombra lo cobija…

It was somewhat strange
Because my ex mother
In law was there too
Guarding her place on the line
It was her in the flesh
That I know for sure

The elderly woman spoke once again:

Buena sombra lo cobija….

The lady to my left looked at me
Like my ex wife did
When she was falling
In love

And the lady at the front whispered:

Buena sombra lo cobija

The lady who looked like my ex wife said
I am tired of standing & the floor looks clean
I think I will sit down
I think is a good idea I said
She sat down leaning against the wall
And crossed her legs
I also sat down beside her
She said: this feels like school
And I said: yes it does

Those words again:

Buena sombra lo cobija….

Do you remember the swimming pool
I asked her
She said yes
Remember it was waterless?
She answered: yes
Now it has water
But she kept looking at me
In that peculiar way

Buena sombra lo cobija…

And she said:
I worked very hard selling tickets
Raising funds for the school
And I never saw the fruits
Of my labor while I was there
But I know now
It is beautiful
And I said:
The swimming pool
Has been completely restored

Buena sombra lo cobija…

Her mouth began to dry up
And I thought of offering her
One of my Listerine oral care strips
But I didn’t want her to get
The wrong idea
To think I wanted to kiss her
Or something like that

Buena sombra lo cobija….

You have beautiful kids she said
Thank you I said
Are they twins she asked?
No, I replied
The otherness in her eyes
Was trying to breach
Into my soul

Buena sombra lo cobija…

She had sent her husband
To feed their children
While we waited in line
I noticed how she had her documents
Neatly organized in a binder
How intelligently she spoke
How good & kind her husband seemed to be
How pleasant their children were
How it was best for her
To be in that dimension

Buena sombra lo cobija….

Her cell phone rang and she answered it
She carried on with a conversation
While staring at me
Her eyes metamorphosing
And I waited for the old lady to say

Buena sombra la cobija…


My mother arrived with breakfast
(2 burritos and a cup of coffee)
And she saw the woman that looked like my ex
And her jaw dropped
It almost reached the floor
And the lady that
Looked like my ex giggled

Buena sombra lo cobija….

Then her husband arrived with their children
And she regained that sober look that
Accompanied her when I first saw her
Enter the government building
Then she left and the kind man
Who accompanied her
Took her place

Buena sombra lo cobija

I sensed a glance locked on my back
I turned around and looked
And there was a middle-aged woman
Dressed in black
With very fair skin
With very black hair
Her eyes were a mixture
Of kindness & desire
And she showed me the cover
Of the book she was reading:
The Law of Attraction

Buena sombra la cobija…

Then it was my turn
I walk towards the counter
And the clerk asked
How may I help you sir?