Go tell it on the treetops

by Annmarie Lockhart

Loud as if they were in
the room with me, the birds
tell out the equinox.
Robins, jays, sparrows
(I know them better as Fig,
Martin, Jacqueline), sing
treble half-step rounds
laissez les bon temps roulez.
The sun turns and I watch,
hoping its reflection doesn't
lure the birds smack into
the dining room window.

Euros and Pesetas

by Annmarie Lockhart

Spain played the beautiful game
speaking Catalan and Spanish,
the face of Iker Casillas made
women and men forget the burst
bubbles and easy euros devoured
like candy and gin the night before war.
But to me, Spain still tastes like
flamenco, Jerez, the Alhambra,
Sevilla, salt crystals, elephantine
prawns, tiger cubs, Serrano ham,
white towns, red wine, bubble water,
olives, Prince, matadors, churros y
chocolate, topless beaches, tiger
cubs, siestas, pesetas,
and expats
always speaking flawless
Spanglish.

Overheard in the Shop Rite Parking Lot

by Annmarie Lockhart

We laughed when I bit you,
remember? Joking about
taking that to your Puerto
Rican girlfriend in the Bronx.
I said no bitch is stupid
enough to mess with
you once she sees the
marks I put there.
Do you remember?

She was sitting in her car,
windows half-closed, the pitch
of her voice carried across two
empty spots and the street
light shone on her flayed heart
pulsing in sync with her sobs.

I didn't know she was real.
I was teasing, didn't believe
you could do that to me.
And you have the balls
to tell me it wasn't even
some cute girl in the Bronx
but some horsey side of beef
way up in some New England
bullshit? Are you fucking for real?

I could not hear the sorry words
of her errant man on the other side
of the shaking phone. She gagged,
covered her mouth. I saw red
nail polish chipped and glittered,
blue eyes drowning. I tried to look
away, to listen to Jingle Bell Rock
on the radio, but her wrecked
voice could have been my own,
her wild hands clawing through
the ice and hurt to rescue
my own bruised heart.

Gum Chewing Not Allowed

by Annmarie Lockhart

I don't like gum chewing
you said
Yeah, well I don't like
being overlooked
I replied

We pondered these
limitations, wondered
what they meant

I will make you feel safe
you said
Yes, and I will make
you feel strong
I replied

And so negotiations began
and preliminary terms
were struck

I added
a monitoring clause
that wouldn't pass review

and the unseasonable storm
wound down, sunshine through snow
flakes, light, heat, bed, bear

and I wondered why any woman
would ever consent to a man
who didn't love her hair