Rumbling in my mind
The song of Arleen Hurtado
Trying to get into a Spanish mood
As I gaze at the flamingo dancer,
Dressed in black flaming wide dress.
Hear her castanets, clicking in rhythm
To the background of classical guitars
And the occasional shouts of Ole`.
Yes I can see her, steel soled shoes
Tapping on sturdy wood. She twirls,
Her dress inflated in a sensual dance,
Until she enters in a tocatta festiva.
Silently she taps as she lifts her dress,
Slowly revealing her beautiful legs,
And down again to recommence her twirl.
The audience go mad in applause.
She merely bows and retires to her room.
I’m there waiting for her.
- a terrible homage to e.e. cummings
she being gently
-used; and you
know a bit loose i was
careless with her and (having
never changed her oil tested
her gas felt of her car bor aytor
and knew her springs were k.
o'd) i went right to it flooded
the engine stalled
her out, wore out the
clutch (and somehow
pulled the e-brake hard wtf) next
minute i was back in neutral tried
her sparks again turned
the engine and brought her all
to a bone shuddering
stop
(and called aaa again).
A Haibun
I tell you no one wanted that car. We kept it parked in the driveway for years while we made payments on Saturns and bought Subarus and Hondas and tried to ignore it. Meanwhile, I would drive it once a week to Trader Joe's or the Beaverton Library.
driver's door opens
chains pulled across pipes
runs great, good mileage
I tried to donate it (only had about 102,000 miles). I called all the charities that take old cars (United Way, Cancer Research, even Kars4Kids) but upon hearing it was a 1989 Ford Festiva with a key jammed in the ignition refused to consider it.
I finally had to call a junk dealer who offered us a $100, and who came with a big smile and a ruddy, little Pomeranian
that waited obediently to one side while he hoisted the car up on his wrecker.
The dog yapped all the while but seemed happy. She made me smile, and my heart bubbled a little.
just as Samantha
began licking my fingers
five 20's changed hands
Published Contemporary Haibun Online
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