meat for a month

like the Israelites
I like to complain
and weep nostalgia over cucumbers

ignoring the steadfastness
of the One who loves me most

sitting in a desert of banality
bland and beige
dreaming with my fingertips
the ragged leaves of a cucumber plant

ignoring the manna
scattered abundantly, ready to rot

like Moses
I shout to the Almighty
what do you want me to do?

carnivores all around

on missing hymns and home churches

fans beating the air
stifled, summer breezes
underneath peaked ceilings
lofted to point to God
outdated red hymnals line the pews

sitting up front
pages of music blow shut
and the message goes on
preach it, brother
until the almighty two-syllable amen
reverberating off orange carpet
and stained glass
amen and amen
a cue
to move forward
hymns and people let loose
doutbing people to a doubting world

wandering

crashing through the night
air compressing and expanding
right outside the window
rolled down

powerfully close to the edge

red lights waving nonchalantly
exiting highways
fanning out

thumbs locked on the wheel
thinly in control
inches away from metal on metal

wind explains away
eyes wide open

headlights on low beam
rectangles of white flip past
one, two, three

the skies empty up
space for vehicles
pulsing across the countryside

Barcelona

meet me in Barcelona
on the balconey
plants, greenery
spilling down the iron railing
look for the bright red flower

meet me in the sunlight
white latticed chairs
tall glasses
with bright yellow lemons on the rim
refreshed

meet me in that place
where you can translate
what blue skies mean
in foreign lands
laundry fluttering in the clouds