Broken Violin

In a deep hot

Summer night

I was nobodies fool

Playing poorly

My broken violin

For no ones ears

But my own

Hot and Wild

I don’t need a fan

or a fawn, I need a fire—

Hot and Wild—black as coal,

as clean as a diamond

dazzling

in the mud of my soul.

Self Portrait, West Haven CT, `2013

ashes and asphalt

The grass was thick and warm

unlike the asphalt

which was fire to her to feet

so she lay in the grass

sharp but pliable blades

caressing her skin exposed

while the sun began

to shower her thoughts poured

like rain simmering steam rose

from the ashes and asphalt.