Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Cielito Lindo (For Jose Faus) by. Jason Baldinger


Jose tells us about a beach in Mexico
between Christmas and New Year’s its virtually empty
except for villagers from the mountains who come down
to live in shanties and fish, there’s a few tourists
mostly Germans, a few Americans

there are bonfires as shacks burn
on New Year’s, the Germans sing O Tannenbaum
as a chorus, and the Mexicans sing Cielito Lindo
as a chorus and the American’s shuffle and look
at their feet, no song or celebration in their hearts

the beach is known for sea turtles
who come to lay their eggs
you sit and watch them head back to the sea
when they hatch, you watch their young head back to sea
thousands of tiny turtles, slowly crawling to the sea

here we are in Cleveland Ohio, Jose
after reading in RA’s house with all its energy
walking State Road through the Ukrainian Village
with a Russian and Polish Village nearby
with beautiful gold leaf domes rising to glow
in city darkness, with icons that celebrate
some ceremony we don’t understand
but we do understand because were human

there’s no bar open on a Sunday night
you, me and Silsbe, we
trail after neon, parched
we crawl back to George Avenue
like turtles, wait on strong drink
herbal refreshments and Burroughs
we tell stories celebrating life and improbability
loitering around the Calivan
the eyes of Leda upon us
hoping the neighbors won’t care
enough to call the cops






Jason Baldinger is a poet hailing from Pittsburgh and recently finished a stint as writer in residence at the Osage Arts Community. He’s the author of several books, the most recent are This Useless Beauty (Alien Buddha Press), The Ugly Side of the Lake (Night Ballet Press) written with John Dorsey and the chaplet Fumbles Revelations (Grackle and Crow) which are available now. The collection Fragments of a Rainy Season (Six Gallery Press) and the split book with James Benger Little Fires Hiding (Spartan Press) are forthcoming. Recent publications include the Low Ghost Anthology Unconditional Surrender, The Dope Fiend Daily, Outlaw Poetry, Uppagus, Lilliput Review, Rusty Truck, Dirtbag Review, In Between Hangovers, Your One Phone Call, Winedrunk Sidewalk, Anti-Heroin Chic, Nerve Cowboy Concrete Meat Press, Zombie Logic Press, Ramingo’s Porch, Blue Mountain Review, Red Fez, Blue Hour Review and Heartland! Poetry of Love, Solidarity and Resistance. You can hear Jason read poems on recent and forthcoming releases by Theremonster and Sub Pop Recording artist The Gotobeds as well as at jasonbaldinger.bandcamp.com

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