Stories Above the Sea

[Spoken]
Florida, along east coast
The eighth floor, room eight eleven
At Corrigidora Inn
And the wide scenic seaside

Opening the door, that
Sudden temperature
The scent of stale
Cigarettes inside

The complimentary platter
Cauliflower and broccoli
The rank cheeses, chocolates
And shelled pecans

The flat darkness from both evergreen
And fluorescein drapes
A pull, a lurching
They draw back

Everything is light and light and light

Pupils tighten
At the suddenness
Then, slowly
Unwind

Sliding glass opens to
The balcony and a gaunt pelican
Sitting in a
White plastic chair

She hops twice, then
Leaps, making seven circles
To the fountains below
They gurgle with foam

Bright red tourist plants
An orange umbrella in
Ribbon-white sands with
Ribbon-white hands

All day, we could
Sit, listen
The language will
Come to us

I and she
Stories above the sea
The sun bright and luminous
Rising high, consuming us

Until everything is light and light and light