By AJ Urquidi
Normally I wouldn’t do this but here’s my number. Just between you and me,
5000 miles and a generation gap. You would just run
into a tunnel had you no idea where it opened. I want to act on impulse
but can’t decide whether I love. You have more colors
in your scarf than I knew existed and I like the idea of naming them all.
Your happiness is aimless and I am easily misguided
by undirectional laughter. A weird gas moved through me tonight. I’ve realized
change coming in the wayI see things, in ways
completely. Not human. To gargle lukewarm lava between symmetrical teeth.
To scare others with my bravery. I dare to writhe
blindly, your talk is hotter and I am caught. You are coming with me
and I’ll never know why, you secure my curiosity
like zookeeper snares. A volcano I saw was dead but I swore I saw it
move, saw a gas move through me. There lies
in the pen a bull who gave in, he’s dormant
with a fearof silences like snares.
Cadence Collective: Long Beach Poets 