GLANCE


Writing off the lines
Writing in strange places
And understanding
The commencement of feelings
Real & artificial

Feelings that propagate airborne
From heart to heart
From hospital to hospital
From beginning to end

Reading the glance of the soldier
As he shakes my hand
Rewriting my reality
As I drove on a street
Plagued by accidents

DRAWN BY DAY


The dominions of the mind
Are the easiest to create
Or to destroy
To tumble
To lift up
At the end
Only the truth remains

When I descended on the stairway
Towards the beach
I noticed it was tilted
And full of grains of sand
That taste like salt
Placed there by water

I stood on them
And considered
The people walking around
The ocean
The islands

The sanitary workers
Taking care of garbage

The depressed housewives
Walking like zombies

They young
The old
The terrified
The elated

MUSIC


—Juaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan, Juaaaaaaaaaan, Juaaaaaaaan! Somebody shouted in the night… since there must be a million Juan’s where I live, I did not paid much attention.
—Dad, I think somebody is calling you.
—You think so son?
—Yes, I think so.
—Do you know who it is?
—Let me go and find out.
—Very good then.
I returned to what I was doing: trying to persuade a friend —by writing— that “things” pretty much remain the same, it is human beings that change.
—Dad, it’s grammas friend.
—Thank you for looking soon.
—You are welcome Dad.
I walked towards my door and noticed she was already at the courtyard. I approached her.
—Hello.
—Hello Juan. Do you know where your mother is?
—I don’t know.
—Do you know what time she’ll be back?
—No.
— She supposed to meet me here. Can you take me home?
—Why don’t you wait a little bit longer…and see if she comes back?
—Okay, I will do that.
I walked back to my room and closed the door. The music was still on, the same song I have listened to many times, the same song that tells me something new each and every time. I remember something I read many years ago, it was a list about the most important things for people, number one was water, number two was food or shelter or something like that; what got my attention was that number five. It was music. Maybe if the lady waiting in the living room for my mother, maybe if she listened to some music she would feel much better. While the children were playing at being the coastguards, I was considering if English or Spanish is the better language. The better language to explain life. Perhaps music can heal cancer. The tingling of the guitars… the affirmation of the base… the unquestionable markings of the drums… the playful organ… the giggles that hide in the keyboards… the soulful sax… the soothing voices… the aftermath of the band.
—Juaaaaaaaan!
The same voice calling one more time. I felt better, readier, happier, determined to do what is proper and good. I stood and walked towards the door once again as I said:
—I’ll be right there!

24/7 OF BELIEF



I believe in the fire
That kindles my heart
That I can believe in

I believe in my dreams about you
I believe in your brightness
I believe in your darkness
I believe in what you think you believe

I believe you can sing
And I believe you will

I believe I saw a fish
Biting its own tail
I believe you might
Lose you wager

I believe you are
In a forest of reflections
Holding hands with
The most elusive of intentions

I believe in the worlds you dream about
I believe in your satellites of love
I believe in the space-craft you gave me

I believe the music
Will stay with you forever
And the colors will keep changing
Like they always do
When the light
Pierces the night

GATHERING


There were 2 gamming tables
I suggested poker
But they looked at me strangely

It is understandable
There were children present

But we played a game board
In which the one
With more trains on Europe
Would win

I never played that game before
But I had a good instructor
And at one point
I was even winning

I enjoyed the cow we ate
Spices always make
Such an endeavor
A tasteful practice

And the beer was also good
Enjoyed the good company
And the suspicious company too

The chocolate cake was a success
I couldn’t refuse coffee after that treat
Caffeine & alcohol
Have a peculiar effect

I thought about this
As I sat and watch the boys
Play videogames

There were so many games
One had its own waterfalls
And little boats full of gems
Being lost in the mists
Of the cascades

I recognized the music
Even though I had a feeling
We had a remote DJ
But nonetheless it was also good

At the end
The kids were explaining to us
Why they like science fiction movies
We sat and watched one with them
It had special effects