Aubade for La Manzanilla
that last day
some of us hugging
some of us not
surely this 'flu will disappear in no time
surely we’ll be back at the end of the year
last look around in case we forgot something
pat the street dog goodbye
one last wave to Doña Chuy in her Frida-blue house
will she be here when we come back
if we come back
so much can change in a year
borders turn elastic
snap shut
everything recast
we learn to mask to wash
stare at screens eat too much
play old tunes
tiny bubbles
rid ourselves of things we never use
remember how we used to touch each other
crowd a dance floor
blow out candles on a cake and eat it
back in La Manzanilla
Pedro is making fish tacos and margaritas the size of coconuts
in the mangrove a crocodile slaps the water
at sunset a symphony of birds returns to nest for the night
Laura Loca is singing
Lionel is selling his wife's almond cookies on the beach
as the sun falls into the sea
tomorrow we'll get torta piernas from Marta
to take on the flight
that last day
surely this ’flu will disappear
surely we’ll be back
10 comments:
This took me to the place. Many thanks
This brought a few tears, Linda. Every detail struck a chord. oxox
So poignant, so true, and here we are in 'third wave' wishing we could be elsewhere, anywhere this plague is not. Thank you for your beautiful poetry, Linda.
I already told you how much I loved this. I just felt like telling you again. (Hehe 😊) and I also shared something of yours on Twitter. Are you on Twitter? Say hi, 😉 please. Be well. I wish you miracles.
I travelled with this poem. Thank you.
Found it last night and followed you! Thank you a bunch!
Thank you for reading, Gloria.
You would know. Surely. ❤️
Thank you for reading and commenting, Mary Beth.
❤️
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