1. Listening to jazz now, I'm happy sun shining outside like it was my lifetime achievement award. I'm happy, with my friend and her dog up in Durango, her emailing me this morning no coon hound ailing yowls vibrant I love yous. I'm happy, my smile a big Monarch butterfly after having juiced up some carrots, garlic, seaweed, I stroll the riverbank, lazy as a deep cello in a basement bar— smoke, cagney'd out patrons caramel and chocolate women in black shoulder strap satin dresses, and red high heels.
From Winter Poems Along the Rio Grande by Jimmy Santiago Baca. Copyright © 2004 by Jimmy Santiago Baca. Reprinted by permission of New Directions. All rights reserved.