Alviso

is a small town with its hands stuck together

maybe in prayer

marshland dreamwaking to glass shattering

song of cactus & motor oil angels

pages of a dust-caked book closinglike an opium sunset over the

West

memory of tide partiesblocked out by

shiny skyscrapers

I put on black face paint likewaterfowl hunters

as I walk through the streetspast an old white Volvo

rusted by salt atmospherewith a giant teddy bear

in the passenger seat & a picture ofJesus on the dash.

I imagine a girl somewhereblowing up balloons

so she can hear the voice of God clearer.

I carry my

bootlegged heartthrough pickleweed& grass

as I watch shorebirds leaving trackslike invisible

serpent skeletonsin the sky.