sun city

Wednesday afternoon and the backyard in this
shithole is fenced in with green and white diagonal stripes
her body is taut and fresh and young, - almost so skinny
to be a breath and her thighs end in a tanned round curve,
but I can see the streaks of self tanner
the lazy piña colada night time primping
the light from a Hawaiian lei girl lamp
circling around while cherry red nailpolish
gathers in pools at her feet

the swim suit she wears gathers and bunches in this weather
in the dark crevices of her body,

she stretches and toys with an umbrella
bought in some small cheap store on the corner of
fourth and fifth under a palm tree
a blow up doll with a round pink mouth
open in constant discomfort
poised in the window display

------

she curls her toes

the bleach blond of her hair
smells like surf board wax
and dollar bills.

the palm trees in the colonnade
glisten with sweat
and dust.


even in the dull throb of summertime
smoke still blossoms
from the chimneys

and cardboard boxes rot in the
alleyway behind the
thrift store


-


she sneers and thumbs a quarter at the bucket
on the pool deck. she misses by two inches maybe more

shakes her head and runs

leaves a trail of

come on’s.