Most make a cross
then bisect the diagonals
with an X
voila – l’asterisk
She did that
but then added
another set of lines
intersecting those
doubling the number of angles
It took her a while to render
her precise tight asterisks.
© Carlos Chagall, 2013
Damselfly hovers
flies patterns like asterisks
her prelude to rain
© Carlos Chagall, 2013
Whoever invented
cold rolling surf
hitting shore
washing over hot ankles
halfway up bronzed calves
smelling like coconut
should get a medal
– one of the best
inventions ever!
© Carlos Chagall, 2013
Grapes by the handful
long drinks of cold clean water
icy blue tonic
© Carlos Chagall, 2013
I think dragonfly’s
life is as good as any
sun, flight, garden food
© Carlos Chagall, 2013
imagine a nuyorican
sunny wednesday morning
columbian latte in hand
visiting chloe and her mom
brazilians from the tribe chamacoco
essentially paraguayans
propped on a rail on a screened-in porch
watching while outside two crews of three
build a wall
and mow a lawn
it’s hard to tell if they are
mexicans – maybe aztecans –
or nay. . . of course they are mayans!
© Carlos Chagall, 2013
I said I moved your yoga mat
She said undoubtedly
I said no, undoubtedly the mat has moved
presumably not on its own
moved by someone
very likely me
I am confirming that likelihood
They should teach you that in yoga
© Carlos Chagall, 2013
We play Contour Land
shape a deep glen for singers
trilling earth’s amen
© Carlos Chagall, 2013
Static – the new day
insects and birds rise to greet suns birthed everywhere
inner ears tickle the first time sounds like water
echo there in caves
No words for color
regions of my body burn just as god intends
minty oxygen invigorates my being
a pinch now and then
We grow outside-in
win or lose the games we dare to risk all of it
late morning near noon the days’ crossroads are many
so worlds come prepared
Sleep’s long swept away
the heart of the day absorbs strong light from above
dirt and rain combine to break down all of the lush
covered seed split open
What doesn’t grow right
gets discarded but in time heals perfectly flawed
singularities for the poets to ponder
for painters to feign
We crawl then we fly
cry out loud above the rest our forgotten calls
in dappled clearings we romp under heavy falls
bathe in cold cascades
Evening comes sudden
sneaks up too quickly this time she and I are here
a kiss in twilight is often all it will take
is all it will give
I cherish worn trails
angled from vanishing points so far behind us
happenstance a crowd where a billion faces search
but only two find
Irrepressible
this urge to resist dying until tomorrow
© Carlos Chagall, 2013
Alphabet City 