earth note 119

key west

green gulf and sundown
has an expression
most would say
is the beauty of the moment
when seduced by observers and advocates
uniqueness can become routine
uneventful
the crash of the waves is all about inertia
the sun's pitch is one of determination
the boats strutting about
nothing short of showing off
a certain arrogance
being tuned in comes with
silence
a crash of orange
a pelican watching the water
then diving

--- e b bortz

earth note 118

key west

the blue heaven has become
so damn chic
unlike the endless wild old days
before hotel plunder
lined A1A
now shoveling the homeless & poets
against the tides
neoliberal forget-me-not
singing green parrots
i'm still hopin' fat tueday's cajun band
will get us off our asses
break the sound barrier
the military choppers
seem to dominate now

let one human family
(the mantra of key west)
include every outcast desperado
from maine and pennsylvania
who inched their way south
like caterpillars
hoping only to bloom
like monarchs
far from the rust and wasted horizons
abandoned workshops
empty rails
yesterday's broken promises
have lived out their usefulness

tomorrow is for the dreamers

--- e b bortz