La Tachuela

The Mexican girl kissed
like brass tacks
against his thighs
what he was doing
was wrong like the sky
which soiled the barrio

like the Aztec wind
which dropped its knife
the Aztec sun
which dropped its gun

the Mexican girl
fought against love
the pinche Heideke Gang vatos
always picked on her
as she walked the halls
of Seguin High School
"Tachuela
me la pela."
was their refrain

little did they know
she kissed like brass tacks
under her skirt

Summer In The City

Driving in the van
with her father and mother

quietly in the back
he slips his hand under her smile

at the intersection
cars with tongues hanging out

in the heat
pedestrians selling their sweat

cops arresting
the pitifully hot

a chihuahua
desperately seeking the dog pound

the dog pound
turns into ounces

summer in the city
fires started by water hydrants

his hand in her heart
covered in love

Battle Of The Birds

I was fighting with the birds
when momma got the broom
my piece of the pie was a tire
I flung it at a girl
whose skinny legs spilled
out of her skirt
and into my heart

the birds had a stick
up their sleeves
they shared it with you
I was left in the dark
momma's broom was a heart
I wore in my chest
love is more than you can think

I was fighting with the birds
they blackened my arms
my eyelids full of blood
how sweetly they lifted the scorn
my girlfriend bobbed up and down
her mouth tasted of swamp
the dancing birds forlorn

Ombligo Del Space Time Continuum

The viejito carries a plastic grocery bag
and a stick to ward off
the barrio dogs and gang mensos
in the bag is a package of factory tortillas
his viejita can't make tortillas anymore
even young Mexican women
can't make tortillas anymore
he says out loud as he walks
downhill on Merrimac St.
on the Southside of San Antonio

he's the navel of the city
and the whole Diosdamned city
swirls down into his belly

Iodine

I made love to her in the iodine
her bra knocking castles
out of my grasp
her clitoris
hidden behind sunglasses

my mouth watering
like the sea

her act
rushing against my hands