young elvis hips can’t stop dancing

.

twirling around down
to ground, he’s a real dancer
or a dizzy fool

tries to get
three year old sister to do the moves
no dice she jumps in

“i got one less problem
without you” six year old boy
dancing up storm

whenever he gets hot
jumps in pool , comes out dancing
doing high kicks

while he’s still twirling
she does tae kwon do pose
“i got one less problem”

next song so slow
wraps his arms around his sister
slow dancing romance

“sunshine blue eyes”
never enjoyed country music song
more or at all

“this is how we roll”
slapping his foot as if
he is “cotton eyed joe ”

break dancing cement
not as easy as it looked
he tries the lounge chair

everyone else
hula hoop contest while he’s dancing
to “walk this way”

“shake it baby now
you know you twist so fine
you got me going now”

he’s a real baby
who is having the most fun
worn out just watching

“some day love will find
you broke those chains that bind you
one night will remind”

.

gander gentle gander

*

catching in midair
solitary golf cart stops
middle of sidewalk

those ducks must know you
not that way with everyone
one of those is mean

talented ducklings
catching four bites in a row
so not an athlete

eight ducks,jumping dogs
bread falling right in their beaks
always miss fifth time

not their fault it’s mine
“give them what they want
and you’ll always have a crowd”

next couple enter
sitting on the bench to watch
bringing a haiku

they ask me
because they are so well trained
if i am here everyday

if i only
had bread everyday but i
only have chinese food

and a bread maker
in the box for two years now
do not tell keen ducks

*
( all you have to do
everyone will bring haiku
feeding friendly ducks )

( she came in slippers
saying oh well i’m here now
told her ducks don’t mind )

.

cascading crabs

.
underneath bubbles
adorable tiny threes
black speckle middle

hundreds swim along
floating one inch mother crab
babies sparkle back

in a cloud of salt
mothers are less than one inch
millions arc starfish

point in blue waters
polite teeny tiny crabs
one eighth of an inch

eensy bit deeper
paramecium appear
linking friendly arms

holding each other
fateful challenges of sea
over red rover

facing north look right
long symmetrical bodies
bonding forever

a bubble pops
fusing together as twins
every shape in the world

then you will realize
not only at this point
but every place you step

billions and billions
every spot along shore line
not one tickles you

they are too tiny
too large for words but
too tiny to tickle toes

almost translucent
have to know what you’re looking for
invisible

.

1 800 j – u – s – t – a – s – k

.

sitting on lounge chair
she gets out of the pool
and sits down on his lap

she takes his arms
and wraps them around her
she’s sixty , he’s seventy

he pushes her down
so he can read the paper
lower in the chair

everyone is here
can i burgle N.J.
steal all their accents

twins one, blue swimsuts
pretending circle bulls eye floats
white mushroom hats

three little girls
asking if they can color with me
sit at table

wanting to say no
to the ten year old who asked
instead said of course

southerners do that
“have you ever been bullied”
yes by you daily

splashed my sunglasses
turned the cold water on me
screaming in my ear

now screaming again
a little trouble maker
her parents also

daddy yelled at her
told her it wasn’t funny
whatever she did

hiding in deep end
where she took it out on me
with the cold water

really she was asking
another little girl
about bullying

“the first eight callers
you get this for free”
then he lifts up his baby

out of the water
everyone hearing his plea
must have octuplets

.

fun In al fresco shower

.

while christians on mount sinjar
have nothing to drink
no drops of water

gallons were wasted
flowing from pier to cactus
don’t need hydration

seven outdoor pools
an ocean in front of you
child plays in shower

toddler turns nozzle
mother and father watching
flows twenty minutes

we left two thousand
someone else says five thousand
one is too many

probably weakest
those who need the most help
and who will help them now

.

sukkah at sea

.

never saw a shell
swimming backwards to the sea
then three claws stretch out

carrying a conch
do crabs build sukkahs
we know they shoot fireworks

two holiday days
yesterday bottle rocket
and now red sparklers

black hawk up
circles over parting hair
unless wigs are glued tightly

either this is
a war movie or someone
is learning how to fly

zig zagging changing
directions to and fro
next red helicopter

where do you go
friday night with your boyfriend
when you are seventy

to the ferris wheel
this is what she tells me
these kids are so with it

halfway there
mr. mullet is dancing
shih tzu is kissing his toe

.

the fairest of all skies

.

not one single cloud
baby blue sky surrounding
one mile to each side

telling second spring
purple babies top cacti
hot pink flowers pop

one white puffy cloud
slowly creeping behind
he will float all alone

diagonal fish
minnow in the making
swim slow see our city

swim fast see our jail
father’s expression with drive
slow see our city

this what jail bait means?
bait fish who swim too fast
will be sent to prison

they wiggle their tale
thanking for the atkins bars
no, thank-YOU they’re dry

.

round round baby

.

spinning his wife
while she floats in the pool
kissing her pregnant belly

betting no one
has uttered these words before
while in their bikini

everyone has left
elvis has left the building
he was here last night

last name is elvis
and he sings just like elvis
even “blue suede shoes”

if you change your name
to sleeping beauty can you sleep
one hundred years

have decided
all presidents are narcissists
unfeeling people

you lost me when you said
things have always happened
social media

you’re supposed to stop
bad things from happening
that’s why you’re president

evil not a state
should have been blown out of this world
long time ago

no excuse
internet should have made that easier
CIA told

.

marooned cloud pillows

.

oyster tiara
pearl cumulonimbus clouds
gentle sleeping squirrel

dove flies over dream
always white fish float in sky
changing formation

squirrel’s round cotton nose
adorable snoring breaths
minnows push half moon

white cheddar popcorn balls
holding the world above
all in their places

seventeen winds
changing popcorn balls cover
volcanic eruptions

.

tiny tingles

.
never ending school
such fun til they get too close
and one kisses toe

water shines so clear
watch thousands swim as they must
bluer than blue surf

they’re getting closer
back away one still nibbles
tickling piggy

standing in one spot
three inch fish biting teasing
surrounding you four

mr. who’s on vacation
who’s from out of town
singing brown eyed girl

when two ladies jump out
begin shagging on cement
halfway through song

one woman pushes
other back into the pool
ringo runs behind

not recognizing
pink bikini or wet hair
won’t make a good spy

“because i’m happy”
people dancing in the street
on top tiki bar

you have to calm down
tina turner’s rollin now
dancing in river

nice slow sinatra
“the summer wind rollin in”
all the jersey guys

everyone all week
yelling with jersey accent
school hasn’t begun

five hundred accents
adore every way you turn
beats the jersey shore

“we are family”
pointer sisters and tom jones
could you ask for more

.