Breaking News: a row of motorcycles
has been blown to the ground by strong winds, or
Breaking News: minor flooding, the kind
that is an inconvenience at worst.
A part of me wants to stay: this is home
to the extent that I don’t remember anywhere else clearer,
and I am building myself
a life here
because it is easy to grow where you
have roots / have grown.
Still, the speed of that growth
the quality of it
the speed of the speed of growth—it is more remarkable
to sprout from nothing,
so here I am:
grass-hair and lemon-skin,
golden sun and silver watch,
flag like diplomatic controversy, meaning
I hail from a country that is just like me,
trying to grow.
And I love the way it rains here.
And I love the way no one knows me sometimes.
And I especially love the ridiculous affection
people show their pets here, so
believe me when I say
it’s the hardest thing in the world
to get ready
to say goodbye
to dogs with sunglasses.