Excerpts from " From the Balconies of Key West "

In this cradle of air
high above the streets of the city
we rest secure in our balcony
our bodies pressing together
in this hammock
a languid Sunday morning
almost afternoon by now
scattered newspapers, more coffee
a slow breakfast with music
and far below us
in a white chapel
a preacher talks about the island
and the things he loves about it
and how much it has meant to him
to have lived here all these years
and he calls the land "blessed"

THE QUIET

In the middle of the city
I found a quiet spot
on a lane off the main streets
in a cool corner of my backyard
under the canopy of fan palms
and I noticed the sound of the wind
the rustle of the oleander leaves
It was a light breeze
with no threat of bad weather
an average hot tropical day
eighty degrees by noon
The wind died down for a moment
to a quiet, standstill quiet
and the dappled sunlight on the plants
shifted a fraction of an inch before my eyes
and I held my breath and listened
then the wind came back with a gust
and everything went back to normal
Across the tall fence of reed and arelias
I hear occasional passers-by
walkers mostly, sometimes a bike
and in between, the quiet
the sounds of dry fallen leaves
tumbling down the lane
light, wooden sounds on the pavement
castanets to accompany the wind

GIRL WATCHING

Island girls
plump and friendly
give me tight bikini cheeks
hanging over bicycle seats
and the scent of pleasure
on their tanned skins
Tourists girls
with their worldly ways
are enchanted here
and wonder how people can live
in a place so remote
from big city malls
Artist girls
aware and in tune with life
come here to celebrate
their last new idea
and conquer a new man
with no strings attached

A KEY WEST CHRISTMAS

Here on a warm waterfront
we are barefoot and happy
the Christmas Spirit comes to us
like the tropical wind
through our open windows
Its the bougainvilla
that decorates the island
the smell of jasmine fills the air
Santa leads the lighted boat parade
and Christmas music calms the streets
Bicycle baskets filled with toys and gifts
we hurry home to wrap our presents
our Christmas tree is a potted palm
its a Key West kind of Christmas
A cool spell drifts in
our little house is wind blown
two days of chill change our mood
an open oven door warms one room
we bring down blankets from the attic
By Christmas morning its warm again
we open presents on the balcony
we sip our eggnog in the morning sun
its a Key West kind of Christmas