Back from Puerto Rico, Two New Poems!

My friend and I just took a short vacation in Puerto Rico to celebrate our birthdays.  It was amazing, beautiful, inspiring...

Isla Verde Lessons  (for Amy)

When the fresh rain was cool
and the salt ocean warm
when my body floated between
learning the dance of drops
like glass marbles bouncing
across gray waves
when I swam in the music
of wise old men
the strokes of a salsa
the rain of a drumbeat that
lulls in a groove on a dream
when our new friend
the double rainbow
taught us to breath
deep in the forest
to keep running
back into the rain.


La Placita, San Juan

In their rum sweet sunset
the salsa men of the plaza
blow wisdom through horns
trace lives over strings
chew lemons slowly
pull souls from worn throats
out into the night

In their spice sweet sunset
the salsa women of the plaza
school birth and death
with the toss of a head
spin lovers real and dreamed
stomp out the workday hours
with strong feet
each limb offering
a mystery and a home

These men and women
steeped in their sunsets
like a good strong tea
these are the stars of the plaza
each body singing in holy duet
with the moon.