Holding Water Moon

            Holding Water Moon

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Sea otter on its back

Floats the world

In a clam shell.

Moon

A sliver of praise

Upturned in its palms.

Walk across the skies

Never spill a drop

Holding water.

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On the Beach in Mazatlan

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Waves sloppy kiss the sand.

Bird Island stands staunch off my balcony;

Condors ride thermals in circles

Upward, split off in search of prey.

Shrimp boats trawl the horizon.

La Palomas strut the south ridgepole

Of the adjacent restaurant.

Frigate birds patrol the sky.

Pelicans dive head first into the ocean,

Bob up, fish hanging from beaks.

Morning sun splatters the beach

Through coconut palm filters.

Coffee steams my face.

It is enough.

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The Moon Watched

Last night the moon got caught

In branches of the cedars

And could not move across the sky.

I held my breath with envy

Wanting to be held

In other ways.

Water lapped against my chin

With love warm as tears.

Swallows cross-hatched deep above

In random patterns of aloof.

Summer coursed through my soul.

Time tilted on its axis,

Whispered in my ear.

I turned my head and went to sleep

On fragile feathered dreams.