Spin Cycle in Nine Minutes

by Jay Coral

2 - i will thank the homeless dude for opening the door
and slip him ten bucks for his last six pack of beer
+2 - to the rosary-clutching lady, i will say that
like the spin cycle is how a survivor described an earthquake
and entreat her to pray for all abandoned dogs
+2 - i will kiss the prettiest girl in the laundromat
(no time to explain the preciousness of an end-of-the-world smooch)
then offer my blushing face to be smacked
+2 - "blessed are the hungry and the poor in spirit"
despite the wretched mother's shy protestations
i will buy a candy bar to the dirtiest urchin i can find
+1 - and on the waning minute of my popularity i will shout
"i am the loneliest man in the planet and
this is the happiest day of my life"
=9.

Secrets

by Jay Coral

of that quiet night
she told me about Faust
how it sent her chills and
shook her sleepless
the ceiling opening, the walls talking
the devil is real!
her senses intact, she let me in
her wanton fear cradling in my cusp
and then i watched her sleep
the peaceful geography of her face
unscorned by any witches' spell.


*Jay's blog: http://bluejayeye.blogspot.com/