Sunday, January 10, 2010

LAST RESORT

No one speaks English here--it's all
Dutch or Russian or German, some
jibber-jabber gibberish, fat men
in speedos and chains and banana thong
jouncing god knows everywhere!, 
women with dark stones for eyes, 
full breasts swaying like sweet hammocks,
skinny kids sprouting water wings 
and goggles, shivering in the sun
and cute-as-shit chasing mockingbirds 
among the palms.  The poolside music
blares Jamaican, Portuguese jazz, 
Eurotrash and Caribbean punk.
The lady holding court with Bombay gin 
in her cabana explains that the secret 
to her skin is to never be exposed -- 
"I've never had anything done," she chirps, 
repeatedly, like the mockingbirds 
riding the palm fronds, she's 48 
in her turquoise bikini and heels, 
a perfect specimen of a life 
of divorce and co-dependence 
betrayed by her ADD son who 
can't get a job--even the food is 
guttersnipe Cuban and California, 
Mexican esplanade, spicy prawns 
stuck on a cocktail sword, conch shell 
delicacies, tangeray mussels 
and merlot medallions, I'm perched
on the balcony watching the sun
set, drinking cerveza and sucking limes 
while the damned mockingbirds squawk 
and cavort -- there's no oysters or 
crab bisque or lobster rolls with mangoes 
here, it's all room service cheeseburgers 
and french fries, thank you, and my ticket 
out of here, the end of the decade 
as the sun dies and replays its elegy
below lavender and indigo 
blush, jesus!, just in time for the darkness 
and the stars and the cold wind off the gulf.  

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