3



the rock hits the water
it bounces
like lovers do
when they're in love

i throw more rocks
and they sink
they sink to the bottom
to their refreshing
wet grave

this tree
looks better than the tree of life

stoically serene
its emotions under control
watching the ripples on the shore

ave desesperada


lentamente se arrastra
sobre el concreto
mal de nuestro tiempo

no se arrastra porque esté herida
ni está muerta
el agua está hirviendo a su lado

el peligro es tan grande
que lo ignora
no alcanza a verlo

mi sangre también hierve
¿por qué no nos tenemos miedo?
es el mal de nuestros días

la indiferencia
nos gana de momento

es sólo un mar de concreto
imán de todos los males
sitio idea para un fin
para un comienzo

fosas


big holes in the tanker
as it approaches us
spectators with sanitized brains
older smiles
and foreign languages

foot on the brake
large metal opening
in the middle of the street

laughter is in the background
music in the forefront
the wind blows the chairs away

the bathroom opens
and a face of pain enters
sprinkling blood on the floor

spin


the wheels spin
face of rubber
dust devils
preparing the ground
planting wounds
in the soil

the ship rocks
from fence to fence
it navigates wagers
it lulls the captain to sleep

the clouds cry
the wind stops
and we move slowly
on a sea of accidents

children


the stairs are sharp
and the downfall
resembles a human cascade

the rocky mountains
an avalanche
the beating of the drums

rhythm with each step
broken drumsticks
accumulation of teardrops

laughter from strangers
joyful enemies

a night's show
just for children
who are learning to play together

treatment


the forces of nature
wind & light
moisture & sadness
stretch the lips
of pedestrians

and it looks like
they are about to brake

dilatation of life
opening of the birth-tunnel
to give access to death

veterinarian trick
to open the mouths of pets
out comes the cold
in goes the medicine

symbols


2 symbols
are better than one
because silence speaks louder than words

it brakes time
making unstoppable pictures
it changes everything
every single moment

it creates life
it makes death
it oils the wheels of commerce
with the lubricant of innocence

it brakes your teeth
it manufactures wisdom
in the most unforgettable way

black widow


i killed a spider
with the sole of my shoe

she was stricken
and my shoe was broken in

she climbing up the door
she the daughter
of the spider that bit me

i think i know where the mother is

poison is a cruel death
a crushing death might be too humane

a tiny black widow
inexperienced & traveling
on aluminum
that alone should have kill her

adios


metal shreds in the air
sharper than samurai swords
cutting oxygen
in the heavens
and the most beautiful face
in the clouds
the face of the mother of god
time to pray
using your lungs
desire passing through
your nostrils
medicinal embraces
melancholic farewells
everybody know how to fly

ten


it was at sunset
fire touching salty water
when the plane
began to burn

going in circles
looking like a ufo

we follow it
with binoculars
it looked as if
its wings were on fire

clouds are lifted
from the ocean
forming mythological creatures
posing between heaven and air

she can hold your hand if you want to


the girl
walks eating the letters
on her blouse

listening to small imports
honking their compact horns

driving through red lights
stop signs that serve as her eyes
fish market glances
glazed finished stares

your wheel of fortune
is not fast enough
they better call the red cross

because when they lay there
on their blood
bearing the smell of liquid red
they will see a shimmer of light
reflecting on the whitest of teeth
between the lips
in the center of the smile
of the paramedic sitting
next to you

the van will move slowly
through the night
on wet streets
wailing your name
spitting it loudly
through its
public address system

i write poems


los federales cruise
the same streets i do

they have a brand new car
new uniforms
government health care plan
paid vacation
confiscated lives

we drive under the same haven
tread on the same pavement
burn the same gas
look at the same stop signs

they write tickets
i write poems
they wear bulletproof vests
i write poems
they carry pistols
i write poems

they are incidental bureaucrats
i am an incidental poet
workers of wrath
i write poems

cost


half your laughter seems like a good price
a fair price to indulge in

the cost to keep the machine moving
the parts screeching
the horns honking
the metal twisting

an orchestra of your defiance
playing so close to your ears
massaging your soul
with the music of your heart

patience is only for those
who want to remain alive
who want to keep breathing
smiling in the midst of
a pond of adversity

tongue


language sometimes
is only a tongue
nothing more

it is the way you move it
to bring some meaning
into the noise that it utters

there is something animalistic
about a moving tongue

tasting with it
feeling with it
wrestling with it

cow tongue
hiding inside a tortilla
under the cover of red salsa

bloody tongue
visited by angry fangs
bleeding red salt
painting pink gums
neighbors of crowns
of cavities made
by explosions of sugar

the greatest of all traitors
is the tongue
it betrays you
each and every time

dust


you can not see dust at night
you can feel it
you can breathe it

breathing dust
is the makeup of dread
metallic lipstick

the sound
of bending strings
used guitars crying

grooving to the tune of smiles
the music of darkness
a pickup truck going down the hill
a trail of dust dancing

water fragrance


the ground smells wet
humid & moist
it is soft
a mattress of soil

just like when the herd
advanced gracefully
through the morning midst

i held my rifle in my arms
looking through the crosshairs
switching between targets

drawing an 8
with the barrel
it gently rained
on all of us

thunderstorm


and so it began to rain
the children shouted with excitement
and i was resting on the most comfortable sofa
listening to the music
that teardrops like to make

every raindrop
is a shed tear
so much sadness can bring
plenty of stimulation
if the children are happy
then it's all worthwhile

the suffering of adults
feeds the happiness of infants
the trials of consenting adults
are the nutrition of the future
the fear & confusion of adults
is the bridge to an illusion

wind widow


the morning is the best time
to preview
the faces of the day

you wake up
thinking with the wrong head
you open your eyes
and try to make sense of the moment

when you just leave it alone
and keep breathing as if you were sleeping
but with the intent
of wakefulness

it is there
when the faces you never seen before
appear in the corners of your eyes
in between the curtains

you know they are waiting for you
sitting by an outside table
someplace sunny
someplace windy & dusty
inside a very different world

water


the red truck
is overwhelmed
by the waters

it drowns
like a helpless infant

like vessel adrift
like an outdated fad

the currents
blast away

pressure wash
of nature

hose of god
water company
sanitation of the world

coffee maker


the lady agent signaled me
to stop for a revision
i got my self in-line and waited my turn
(a matter of moments)
"what color did you get?"
asked the agent
"green"
"okay then, open your trunk"
when i opened the trunk he asked:
"the coffee maker... how much did it cost you?"
i could tell he liked my coffee maker
"17 dollars plus tax"
"16?"
"17 dollars plus tax"
he looked at me
i looked at him
go ahead sir, you may continue"
he said.

acquired taste


in the morning
and at other times of the day too
but specially in the morning
if you want to live life the best
there's is coffee

some like it with sugar
other with honey
i think it taste fine without neither
it is an acquired taste

if your are sick
caffeine will do the trick
if you are sad
the black brew
will give you good luck

mix


it burst on stage
with a popping sound
exploding curiosity

it arrives like country music
coming from devalued cars
lingering in secondhand minds

the grass is watered
with second chances

drive away
convincingly human
can't see them as apes

disease in the air
travels with sounds of water
endure the morning

sign


a bird of prey
can rest on water
or a surface of chocolate

on a sea
born with the perspiration of lost minds

it can come closer
or it can drift farther away
it can walk on water
like jesus christ

make a weely
while fishing
with the branches of banks

or just disappear
like atlantis
like bees
or money

truck & car


the truck is a ghost
an old ghost ready for the junkyard
it can not pull a box anymore
it can only frighten
dandy doodle inspectors

the car
was all patched up
the side that almost hit us
was pink
the rest of it
was all kinds of colors
like a rainbow
a rainbow that was not able
to ran us off the road

the truck
had a conspiratorial smile
therefore spookier
even though it was falling apart
it could still do a lot of damage

gas station in granada


the girl held
a dandelot in her hand
but my arab friend
looked like the engine who ran away
an engine worked without oil

i asked him if he was bought out
but he looked offended

i will make more money now
he said

i will put my product
in all the supermarkets of america
he added

when he gave me a sample
i did not hanged it
from my rear view mirror

no need for trend setting
no political statement

i placed it
under my seat
and it's fragrance exploded
and nobody was able to tell what it was

like fruits
in a tree
color doesn't matter
if it is hidden competition

pain


the calendar of the world
sits on concrete chairs

you don't tell
those you love
about the pain

pain for the highest bidder
pain in all sizes & colors
pain as a teacher
pain as an enemy
pain as an ingredient
pain as a detergent

because it always hangs around
it began with the first cry
and it continues until the last breath

nature


outside the marketplace
it is always like this
it is always there

eating ice cream
or some other junk food
resemblance of the ordinary
naturally vulnerable

truly finite
delicate just like humans are
it's not bad a thing

some are born with wings
others have to eat dirt
others have to walk

aftertaste


the movement of an arm
can change history

exchanged words
between strangers
are more profitable
than the exchange of monies

the exchange of stories
is more amusing
than the exchange of lovers

the music is the truth
one of the most obvious truths out there

as natural as walking
or stretching your fingers

hypnotic like cutting vegetables
or filleting fish
biting apples
or walking in the zoo

or listening to the voice
of a speaker
as he gives the latest instructions

range


it appears
and then it disappears
at the most awful of times

the world is drenched
with sadness when this happens

it's not amusing
like before
damaging your seconds

your understanding
walks head down towards a truck

to be converted into
the fruits of the earth

fatigue concentrates on survival
on the important things in life

milk, cheese & honey


is this your shopping cart?
no
do you want one?
yes

she stepped away from the cash registered
spoke to a guy handling some cardboard
and then came back with a cart

here you go sir
thank you
you welcome

i felt a little awkward
for inconveniencing the lady
but she was really helpful & pleasing
life was important to her

saturday


it is good
to watch the game
from above

the children
are kicking better
and faster than before

when the game is over
there is an understanding
glances speak louder than words

one of the players
followed us to the car
picked up his cellphone
and said: saturday

pride


she fell from so high
some say she jumped
others say she was pushed
yet others
believe she was mad

or drunk
or strung out
angry or sad
ugly & fat

none of this is
reason enough
to end her life
perhaps she was caught
in her own trap

feet


the coach seems convinced
a structure can be used
as a flying object

he plays with his hands
and not with his feet
as if this were
wrestling or jujitsu

this guy doesn't play by ear
he plays by touch

i suppose it would be okay
if he was a boxer

but this is the wrong sport
this the wrong teaching
the wrong way to go about it

broken road


sitting down
relaxing & contemplating

chickens running
as 2 hawks nose dive
for their chicks

children played
on the field
and it was artificial

they ran back
to the concrete court

the man
in the red shirt
pistol on his belt
was pulling out weeds

they're for my rabbit
he doesn't just eat anything
he said

more


i am afraid to see the doctor
he will want to do surgery

i don't want to go in
he said

fear is not
what drives decisions

fear
will only hurt you
a lot more

your world
will change regardless
it already has

don't waste
what you have manage to save

don't try to hold on
to something that hurts you
something that hurts others

let go
go in
open your eyes
close your mouth
and listen

lesion


if you keep up like this
things will change forever
you will never be the same
an operation will be needed

once you have a surgery
it is never what it was
you will have pain for life
and you will not be able to do things
like you do them now

i suggest you listen to your doctor
and do exactly as he tells you
i understand your concerns

you have lost something
but if you are defiant
you will lose more

count your loses
and lick your wounds

you been been touched
this is not the time
to become a flying cabin

stop contact
no more holding
no more touching
let them go

children always go
they will leave you regardless
they always do

they don't belong to you
they belong the one
the keeps them alive

more than ever


saw her again
walking with her daughter
more distressed
fatigued & overwhelmed

and before
days ago
outside the supermarket
tired & exhausted

and years ago
in love with exercice
her father in love with money
my friend in love with her

now she walks withered
now she looks weathered
she remains moneyed

horse


i was waking
down the dirt road
and i heard
moaning & lamenting

i looked in the direction
of the sound
and saw a cowboy
with a bloody face
walking slowly & limping

"can you help me? i am hurt"
"i can get you an ambulance"
"no, please take me to los arcos with my compadre"
"i better get you an ambulance you look pretty beat up"
"please, please take me with my compadre
"okay, i'll get a car"

when we were in the car
on the dusty road
he said

"she wouldn't listen to me"
"what happened to her?"
"she's gone"
"how long you been walking?"
"a long time"
"are you sure you don't want to see a doctor?"
"no, my compadre will take care of me"

when we entered the compound
2 guys helped him out of my car
one had a beer in his hand
the other wore a cowboy hat

the guy with the hat
wave me good bye
the guy with beer shook my hand

i looked a the seat
the window
the dashboard
and did not see any blood

acknowledgment


the truck
from the electric company
makes less noise now

the driver
doesn't seem so happy
but that's the nature of work

her hair flows like the wings of a raven
with sunglasses on she instructs her son

the produce section is visited
by generational hysteria
pleasant acknowledgment of age

this time there are no questions
about glass or metal
nobody is looking for flavor around here

check up


treatment has picked up speed
it is as fast as saying hello
or catching a grin
with the corner of your eye

as quick as passing
by a smiling wife & an angry husband
or caressing pets
that belong to future mothers

the velocity of a stare
that does not see conventional weapons
just flesh & blood

further intervention might be needed
therapy of physics
cultivation of understanding in the morning

middle of traffic


mother & daughter
crossed the street

daughter looks happy
walking across
almost jumping
with each step she takes

mother looks ill
taking her pulse
as she walks
her eyes bloodshot

not a time
to be out of shape
at this time of day
in the middle of traffic

watching & listening


her profile seemed familiar
that angry look

her eye as if were
molded by pressure
from the inside out

she looked taller though
hence angrier
attitude with a mission

i was so happy
that we did not know each other

thankful because there was no
need to talk to one another
we were just watching
and listening

asterisk


at the super store
i asked for turkey ham
the butcher even gave me a sample
and it was good

she placed the meat
on the scale
then wrapped it
and said i would received
a discount at the register

not too long ago
i was on the other side of the counter
cutting meat & fish and sometimes myself

at home
as i made turkey sandwiches
i noticed in the middle of the package
a piece of pork
sliced into an asterisk

i was going to throw to the garbage can
but out of respect
i took a bite
and chewed considering
and knowing
how butchers suffer
so others can eat

prints


i have walked
alongside footprints before
tiny feet
horse shoes
prints of water
prints of wind

today on the pavement
bloody paws
showed the way
of the narrow sidewalk
leading to a harsh asphalt

outside the fire station
the carcass of a dead rat
smiles at the passing traffic

cabin slowing down


the right numbers
are leveling
the playing field
the radius has duality
visual echos of metal

contacts have diminished
but they have not disappeared
you will never rest-easy again

when we walked towards my mother's house
an elder on the sidewalk
confirmed it was time to eat again
he had food wrapped in a plastic bag
held by his experienced hands
his eyes changed colors
like the stations of the year do

sport


a suspicious cabin
moves amongst the children

here
touché is more than a sport

somebody
could catch a cold

this is building
holding seeds of adrenalin

a clear & present rain-coat
in the midst of summer

it is just a game of movement
and if you hold still

you can win
since there are no foundations

temperature


the cloud is so nitid
hanging from the blue skies
but the the skull
marches steadily
on the concrete

bureaucratic cars
line the street

the electric company
needs a new truck
the one that almost hit us
makes to much noise

the couple
has lunch on the grass
we read in the park

the kids
speed away in a german car
and there's a hot rod
making the rounds

we remembered
we left the stove on
we race home
saying hello to the elders
we find on our way

hardware store


the 2 lawyers
were inside
the hardware store

"your case is doing fine"
she said
"thank you"
i said
"there just making corrections with surnames"
"i see"
"but it should be fine"
"i"ll send the number tonight"
i said
"thank you"
she said

it was a surprise to see them there
it was a good idea to hire her
these girls don't only know there law
they also know their hardware

dancing on the countertop


the ants
were on the countertop

perhaps she felt embarrassed
and decided to cast poison
on them

i wondered for a moment
if i wasn't there
would she let them be?

i wanted to tell her
that ants are not dirty
they seldom sting
and that jesus christ likes ants

but it was too late
there was poison everywhere
i guess they were uninvited guests
in her house

i understand these things
she wanted to make a good impression
because i was there
she saw ants
dancing on the counter top
she didn't know i like ants
she kills ants

then i was concerned
with cleanliness
it is dangerous to cook
on a kitchen stained with poison

agosto


agosto died
on agosto street
his own pavement
conspired against him

the summer
took him away
and placed him
in a line
of blessed memory

agosto
was killed
by his own family

they could not
resist the temptation
of the wind

agosto's lifeless body
laid on the street of valor

his dogs
liking at it
then nabbing at it
then biting off
his out of date tissue

i wanted to
kill them dogs

i wanted to
see if agosto's corpse
would turn fragrant

agosto
had the face
of a painted angel
proper for a set of china
or an ad for designer jeans

iron worker


"you don't remember me do you?"
"no, who are you?"
"i worked on your bus when no one else could"

the seventies station wagon
cruised slowly on the boulevard
the guy with my name
was behind the wheel

the iron worker
his brother
my brother & i
were also inside

"go fast like you did the other day"
said the iron worker
"yes, go fast. give it gas"
said his brother

the driver just stared
though the windshield

"yes, go fast!"
i said

but he drove slow
politely & safely
till we got home

¡te voy a partir la madre!
mi madre is muy difícil de partir...
trust me... i know...

***********************************


2616 calle farallon
playas de tijuana

is a great address
it is a great house

it has 3 stories
the right color
it is green

i think i even saw
some balconies

a red japanese car
gas saver
and grey japanese suv
for off road purposes
equipped with a roof rack

in the garage
there is a vw bug
a bug
that's funny

i want this house
i want this house bad

it could be
just like overton
but sunnier
summery & watery

instead of red wine
we could have
a little bit of tequila
i think they'll appreciate that

2 little girls
were on the garden
so cute
so innocent

all of this is very good

3 floors
one for my kid
the other one for my other kid
the third one
for my baby & i
(yes, yes, you know who you are)
we can help more this way

no need for a big supper
biting raw meet can be painful
and besides
possessions are just
instruments of trade

say you are sorry and we’ll call it even

“papá leave him alone”

“you don’t want an apology?”

“leave him alone, it was an accident”

“but i do want an apology”

the engineer

alberto is his name

has a surname that evokes

one revolutionary & one rose

“i don’t think he did it on purpose but i will find a way to punish him”

alberto said

“all I wanted was an apology”

i said

“le cayó una piedra al niño”

“es mi área de trabajo”

“si lo toca otra piedra no te la vas acabar”

all of the sudden

the rocks he was lifting

seemed very heavy

to the point that he could not lift them

“sorry”

said alberto

“you are doing a great job here”

i told him

and then we rode away

BEST FRIENDS STREET


near the ocean
is were i have my best friends

o'neil's house is still there
cruz's sisters live on the same street
the hotel in the corner
la bardita that no longer exists
invisibly remains

there's always room for more friends
friendly dogs that bark and chase
but do not bite
the boys maneuver their bikes just fine

my front tire missed the pair
of the tiny canines
but not the wrath of the owner's son

i wonder if he's a firstborn
he sure can run fast with beach flip flops
his youthful joints
did not seem to be bothered
by the pavements impact

he held a spray can on his hand
and enough resolve to take me on
i had my knife
and my startled kids behind me

i figured i would
get a little red paint on myself
but i would do fine

he's daddy watched from afar

his thorax is well defined
under the black designer t shirt

i would like to see
his strong heart
beating to the pulse of existence
with the rhythm of understanding

i think he can take it
if his daddy raised him well enough
he will do fine

blanca


the girl with the scar
under the sun
a scar like yours
a scar like mine

living her dream
a dream tossed by others

she also
kicks the ball
like a superstar

the guy on
the balcony of second floor
beer in hand
ocean view in his eyes
calls out for me

¡míralo essse...!

i waived
and waited for him
to come down

thinking i should
ask for a beer
in return for my time

but he wasn't feeling lucky
and he did not came out
through that first floor door

so we proceeded towards the beach
ate & drank
and watched the people
play in the water
play on the sand

the ice cream man
stopped by
and washed his hands
with salty water
and then left

i lifetime
of ice & snow
will drive anyone crazy

we also moved on
ridding our bikes
on the waterfront

shark cartilage & olive oil


beer with potato ships
then soda
the beer is for me
the soft drink for the kids
we shared the ships

the ocean
with its many creatures
under water
take away the guilt

shark cartilage & olive oil
soothe the conscience
the girl played the soccer match
in an all boy game
she did great

scissors & tape


i cut the the medical tape
strip by strip
arranged side by side
near the forearm

ready to go
fastened the bandages
soaked with antibiotics

this is better than duct tape
or crazy glue
the pain killer works fine

tomorrow will be good
we have plenty of medicine
tons of desire
little packages of energy

fire everyday


the children
kick the ball
like superstars

while the 2 engines
enter side by side
in the love nest

no need for a chimney here
they see fire every day

the soccer mom
tells me who her children are

and i see my boys playing hard
the ocean is blue
and the sun lands
like a flying saucer

opposite directions


grinning in a green car
movements of lips
from across the street

sometimes reading facial muscles
is poetry moving in opposite directions

the helicopter
is flying towards the ocean
it almost collides with a seagull

let's follow it
and take a drive
by the sea

and see how the sun sets
as i think of cars
and time and smalltalk

time machine


"how long was the wait today?"
"more than an hour"
"okay"

i drove away thinking about his question
remembering some comments
some years ago
something like:

"hey, you are the guy who keeps time?"

and i said yes
or whatever
or something like that

because i felt like
i was making time
in some stupid time machine
every morning
and every night

la noche suelta carcajas como baldes de agua fría


in the circle
everybody had their guitars
when it was my turn to play
i thought to myself
i don't need this instrument
i placed it aside
and spoke:

la noche suelta carcajadas
como baldes de agua fría

i wait for you in the limousine
he said
we walked inside the bar
and ordered a cocktail

"are you sure you know what you are doing?"
"yes"
"you should be careful"
"okay"

we walked back
and the limo was not there
then we boarded the old car
and drove away
with my stomach tense
with a smile on my face

counter


the girl speaks
into a public telephone
she looks apprehensive

i order popcorn
a large soda without ice
behind me a man speaks to his children
he talks about eating in the sky

everybody is stretching
it is summer
and i stretch too

making extensions of nerves
contractions of muscles
nobody i know enjoys cramps
hidden in plastic bags

couple enters and she's smiling


competition kissing rubber
stretching net awareness of children
codified in small pieces of paper

symbols of infancy
if you place them near your ear
you will hear laughter

stroller pushers
lift up their lips
as if kissing the wind

walkers
walking fast
walking slow
walkers
feeling the sun
in the snow

the woman
and her son
walked inside the shop
she looked at me said

buenas tardes

her accent weathered with nicotine
she addressed the clerk
and ordered black ink

her son stared and the linoleum
as if trying to read his future
on the stains next to his feet

this is not a walk in the park
because i can see
and they are starting to run

and i feel like disintegrating
blending and becoming one
with the synthetic grass
because of this
i know it's time to go

at the taco shop
the owner knocked on wood
as we walked towards our table
then they brought us
carne asada and melted cheese

evening drive


happiness on the side of the road is
2 children smiling
with a puppy between them

a dump truck
burping last night's dinner
stopping at the liquor store

i passed her by
her lips are slightly opened

the school bus driver
doesn't look angry anymore
she drives slowly up the hill

a sunset
with the aftertaste of diesel
its windows plastered with dilated eyes

yellow backgrounds


little birds
on a yellow background
hanging from a cable
upside down

they are always unaware
of their duty as ornaments
of their image as dessert

pastries with wings
they are the new economy
collectors items

yellow dye
paint of secrets
opportunistic equilibrium
perfectly centered

un niño


hoy me sentí
como uno de los niños
que describe fromm

pero las alas
no eran de mariposa
tenían plumas

una ves más comprobé
que el amor
puede provocar lluvia

teñir la grava
mover las hojas del árbol
hacer ríos

activar los instrumentos
que se adentran en la tierra

modificar las transmisiones
que habitan en el aire

transformar las cartas de amor
en instructivos técnicos
en anteproyectos a larga distancia

face down


face down
that's how i remember him last
dreadful thoughts
ran through my veins

it is always a sad thing
when the demise of someone you know
is inevitable

face down again
inside the casket
as if he were kissing the floors
of the cathedral

face down
because of the weight of god

face down
dripping blood
like saliva
on a pillow

face down
as he climbed the mountain
for the very last time

diesel


you want to take her for a ride
he asked
i looked at her
she was sturdy
white and tall

she has new tires
she's old
but she's good
he said

i reached for the seat belts
played with the electric seat controls
inserted the key
and turned it
she started to purr

take the highway he said
pronouncing each word
with a european accent

on the road
i pressed
with my right foot

you can put her in fifth you know...
he suggested
i looked at the gears
i did not see a number 5
all i saw was a D

step on the clutch
he said
i released the one pedal
and pressed the other one
he shifted to D
and i increase the velocity
and she was purring more than ever

i like the way she feels
i said
my brother drove her
and did not wanted to stop
he added

when it was time to go
he told me price of D
and gave me a business card
with a seaworthy vessel
printed on it

detour


the guards speak
as their dog licks
the oil stain on the pavement

i tried to read the tattoos
on the forearm
it seems to be a strange language
i can't understand it
i can very easily imagine it says:

have patience

he curses at his pc
punches a few keys
and the suddenly says:

thank you... go ahead

let's go to the park
he suggests as we walk within the warehouse
but lunch consisted of sad faces
distressed glances
and vine-loving middle age women

a walk in the park
is always a good idea

we see
children laughing
couple exercising
men fishing
friends gossiping
mothers walking with their children
birds gliding near the water

cabins passed in front of us
like flying kites
and i teach
as we walk
explaining what happens in the water
and the need for a license to fish

evening


if you go slow
you arrive a little late
but you get there
with a better view
with more of a conscience

on the road
it is better to turn down the volume

caress the radio
as you see the lights
vanishing into the heavens

as you drive
you pay attention
it is when you are able
to become one with those who flee from you

at the threshold
i see the mother of the world
and her sister
they enter & complain about shopping carts

i believe such an apparition to be a good omen
i think of my mother in laws
and realize that we are in the middle
of fruits and vegetables

i walk past single mothers
i go around defeated husbands
i hand pick the best the selection has to offer
as i watch the military officer making a phone call

advance


a car coming
full speed ahead
towards you

trying to kiss you
to death

a flying moment
on a private road
a wintery summer
on your dashboard

bloodshot eyes
charting the treks of the soul

even kind words hurt
so i bite my tongue
and taste my blood

airplane


the little airplane
flies erratically

its wings
crash continually
with the clouds

airplane
you have become courageous

you have the texture
of evaporation

free falling
for the human race

airplane
you have become
the color of the clouds

before morning


i wanted to kill a mosquito
and i killed a moth instead

fighting for frequencies
generational feuds

sorry moth
did not meant to do it

when the fight began
the radio announcer
came out from
inside the radio

people where singing
and singers were drowning
going blind
with orange juice

synchronicity of rubber & smog


sometimes traffic is not that bad
it is amusing
the see all that movement
at the same time

is not bad
when you have not seen it
in awhile

it is bad
when it becomes
an everyday activity

is not bad
when we can sing a long
to the rhythm
of the rolling blackouts

it is bad
when there is
no other way
when what you see
is what you get

i gave her my passports
and she asked for the keys
she gave me back
my keys and my passports
and picked up the telephone
and said: hooray!

we drove
on the arteries of california
ate their food
bought their wares
watched the girls
playing with their long hair

A TU MADRE GAVILÁN

La vecina

Maldice a la madre del gavilán

En inglés y en español

Me asomo por la ventana

Porque quiero verlo

Volando o cazando

Comiendo o dando picotazos

Pero sólo veo a la señora bilingüe

Dice que se están comiendo

A sus gallinas

Y la verdad es que

Hay menos pollos que antes

Y más aves de presa

Las he visto volando

Son diferentes

Tecolotes y gavilanes

Los cuervos se han marchado

syrup


i make pancakes
in my coffee cup
the steam dances
like crazy ghosts

outside an american mother
scolds an american son
but i keep flipping the cakes
above the blue flame

it is funner
to hold a spatula
than a gun

i eat with my boys
and it tastes the best
it must be the green oil

noon


the wind enters through the window
it is good to have an ocean nearby
cooling invisible intentions

helping me decipher my dreams
as i tried not to wake up
as i tried to understand
why such a beautiful girl
is asking for a kiss

and when you can not sleep anymore
coffee enters first into your soul
and then it follows the rest of your being

feeling good enough
to count the times the light bulb blinks
to listen the horses neigh

carcagente


la bolsa de basura
en la calle
no se mueve

ni con el viento
ni con las miradas
ni con la desaparición de la luna

efectos de 1911
y la guerra del áfrica

las carcajadas
se secaron

se hicieron sal
para ser lambidas
por perros

fragrance


somebody is making perfume
burnt aroma
travels through the night

the grass has a suntan
a new order
that lingers in your conscience

figures of smog
convey images of the future
i can smell the past

i can see you
transformed by your wishes

aromatic persuasion
dancing clouds of combustion
indication of targets

the lioness


the lioness is beautiful
she strongly kills her prey

i watch
from the valley
killing the flies
that try to land
on my hair

the lioness
rips flesh open
and i kill
little insects

she's happy
i am happier
under the summer's sun

painting


the city streets
are devastated
so i drive around them

i bumped
the asian's car
but it was not on purpose

it was a gentle touch
celebratory like sunshine
and he was cool about it

it wasn't the first time
i navigated across confused intentions
planting my seeds on concrete

it was like the past
only this time
it was easier

six heavens high


the french woman
is in tears
her face has fallen away

it landed
on the flesh of commerce
on bloodstained snow
along the side
of the harvest

love is sacrifice
a catacomb of summer
200 meters of love

protection is a burning house
a chimney in the heart
the cue of appetite

saturday

at night the sea
sounds different
it makes the children play
at being superstars
and it makes me
enjoy the fireworks

the darkness
protect us
the ocean's wind
arrives like a prayer
and i think of you

the city lights
enter through the windshield
it look like a big city
one of them says
it feels like las vegas
i think to myself

el sueño de la razón

goya said
the dream of reason
produces monsters

and then he painted
cute little animals
around the dreamer
who slept on his desk

seems to me
reasoning like that
might have enabled him
to open his personal zoo

not all winged creatures are monsters
the cat sitting beside him
listens carefully to the owl

transmisión

en la cabina
el bufón habla de literatura
un día después del sismo

los micrófonos
tan cerca de su boca

igual que el tiempo
y las tormentas
que sufre
que transmite
relevo que vive
antes de ceder

en el aire viajan alimentos
proteína de espíritus
tatuajes del destino

recuperación

el silencio está incrustado
en las cicatrices del mundo
allí siempre ha vivido el silencio
en la inhalación y exhalación
que hacen turismo en las heridas

traigo pedazos de luna en la boca
y el amazonas se ha convertido
en un cesar salad
los comunicados del radio
se convierten en música

la-lie
la-lie
la-lie
la-lie
la-lie

te miro
me miro
y veo que no han transformado los rostros
ya casi terminan
con sus bisturís cuánticos
con la ingeniería de sus conciencias

espera

la calma reside
en la espera
de lo que no
se puede desatar

ese eslabón
que tarda en deshacerse

esto es lo que salva mi tiempo
y me permite dormir tranquilo
por las noches
por las mañanas

escribir lo que escribo
vivir como vivo
amar como amo
ver lo que veo

cellphone


the kid
with a new york t shirt
waits in line next to me
he's placing bets
and has money in hand

around us
girls walk with their mothers
and sadness surrounds them
like car exhaust

we are playing against fifty
the kid said
as i watched
a nervous housewife
eating with her husband and children

networking


i sat on the red chair
looked at the wall
and the artwork was different

different frames
other images
less romantic
less convincing

across the counter
one girl looked
like a japanese heroine
and the other looked like
frida calo's sister

that night
at the party
i was able to speak
to the legend's wife

i did not understand
why she was afraid of me
a year ago
now she seemed
a perfect hostess

my friend the legend
even though he's elderly
was knocking out
young lads all over his house

the food was good
carne asada for the whole world
and there was enough drink
suddenly i remembered
that such things
are there to make you glad

inside my car
all i could see was trash
and she said
there's so many beautiful poems
in here

she said her name
was one of the elements
and i know i have seen her before
some place
somewhere
a long time ago

PRODUCE

I am surrounded by fruit

I am surrounded by vegetables

My son asks for something

High in fructose

I think to myself

No!

No more sugar!

I don’t want to do that to him

Besides there’s enough of that

Inside the fruits around him

The girl in tight jeans

And leather jacket

Looks at me

Then she speaks into her cell phone

And she smiles

Her eyes have the glitter

Of 1000 lighthouses

The song on the PA

Says something about being faithful

Being faithful to a meme?

I asked my self

The girl in the

Brown leather jacket

Has a twinkle in her eye

And walks amongst

The fruits of the earth

Towards me

With her plastic surgery nose

I put some fruit

In my shopping cart

And I smile

I smile because it is

The only sensible thing to do

I smile

Because those I love keep dying

I smile

Because even if I don’t love them they die anyway

I smile

Because I don’t want to cry

I smile

Because you live longer that way

I smile

As the bakery girl puts my bread in a paper bag

And tells me: I am wet

I smile

Because I miss you so much

I smile

Because you bravery sent you straight to God

I smile

Because I made sure to keep infections out

I smile

Because bacteria near the brain is deadly

I smile

Since healthy gums make for better kissing

I smile

Because there’s nothing better to do

We paid with paper money

We walked outside

An old car

Waiting for us