Modesto 2

The geese laid their eggs
in the thrushes by the duck pond
guarded them serenely
We tip-toed around the back to check on them:
four maybe gosling

But the duck pond flooded
and by the time the water had gone down
only dark halos at the roots of the grass
the eggs were gone
the geese didnt seem to notice.

Bug

there are bugs
spiders flies mosquitoes ticks
in my bed
shower
between pages of books
on my windowsill
under my skin
digging
leaving a map of bruises
California
Chile
Manhattan
an encyclopedia of starbursts
a catalog of flower petals
an exponential anxiety.

Coney Island state of mind

I stood in the ocean at Coney Island
next to a boy in a blue striped shirt
holding his shoes in one hand

quartered jellyfish
stray sandals
and flattened silver juice pouches
washed back and forth
catching on our ankles

he made a joke about the boat on the horizon
i blushed

his gentle smile
his name the sound of the ebb tide.

The night I met the Icelander
I met an Italian girl
in a dark apartment where nature shows glowed with the sound off
Someone passed around a clear glass tile covered in cocaine
and we heaved and sighed
and sat a little closer
She didn't seem real
her voice more breath than sound - cotton candy
She asked would I like to play poker
and said she would teach me
then she kissed someone - a boy -
and disappeared.