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