CHAPBOOK “IN THE SUN”

IRINA VLADI LEVIS

SUNLIT

ON A SWEATING DUTCH HORSE
THROUGH DUSTY STREETS OF A TOWN
THAT SIGHS OF CHILDHOOD
AND CALM
IN THE SUN
WE RIDE
THROUGH TALL GRASS
AND YELLOW ROCKS
STEEP DOWN
MY HANDS SUNLIT

THE SMELL OF BURNING WEEDS
SIMMERS IN THE DIRT FILLED AIR
HE RIDES WITH ONE HAND ON HIS HIP
AND SAYS THE PEOPLE (BAREFOOT AND HAPPY)
WANTED FAST CLEANING OF THE LAND
HE SAYS
THE FIRE
ERODED THE SOIL
ONCE RICH AND HOPEFUL

THE COCKS CROWING
RUNNING AND CHASING
RED FIRE CROWNING THEIR SIMPLE GLORY
DOGS IN THE SHADES
OF EMPTY TREES
BELLIES TO THE SKY
TINY BUDDHAS
WITH PURE SMILES
AND SILENT LAUGHS

TREES HEAVY WITH BANANA AND MANGO
INSECTS BUZZ
AND I WANT TO CLOSE MY EYES
REST IN THE SUN
GULP THE HUM OF THIS LAND
CLOTHES ON THE LINESAND SMALL HOUSES WITH OPEN DOORS
BREATHING MUSIC AND SLEEP

WE STOP FOR LUNCH
AND DISMOUNT
BEAUTIFUL HORSES
SHAKING AWAY FLIES
THE CALM OF THE GORGED SHADOW
QUIVERS
LEADING UNCERTAIN LEGS

HE TAKES OFF HIS COWBOY HAT
AND TALKS OF TIMES HE HERDED CATTLE
IN THE MOUNTAINS
FOR DAYS ON END
IN HEAT
AND SUN
ON HIS HORSE

BY THE SHALLOW RIVER WE SIT
UNDER A MAYA ROOF
WE SIP PALE CERVEZA
AND EAT CACTUS
WE TALK OF CHOCOLATE
AND HEMMINGWAY
WE WATCH THE SUN TRACE ITS PATH IN VAST INDIGO
AND LAUGH
INTO MARQUE

Irina Vladi Levis is a student at Santa Monica College