The Poetry Marathon

Stardust brought you into my life

on a warm September day.

Hope was the future

I’d see and speak to you again.

Cheese was Italian food,

I tasted, bought, and loved

because of you.

Shoes walked me and put me inside my car

to drive by to catch

a glimpse of you.

Sleep is what you do now

forever.

One day you’ll come visit me

inside my dreams.

Now as a movie ends,

it fades to a black screen.

The music begins

as the names and titles

scroll upwards.

Listening to the music

in silence I’d read

through in search of you.

Those I’s and O’s that

spelled out your name.

The reward in finding it

among the many hundreds before you.

Now you no longer appear,

like a fragment of time

of imagination.

I remember you every morning I wake

look at your pictures and videos

left on your social media.

Endings good and bad are never easy.

You’re a movie I didn’t want to end.

She makes me feel good

seeing butterflies.

Belief that are unexpected blessings

from God.

We should show gratitude

being alive.

She played an angel on television,

some believe she really is one.

Tenderness is her soft whiskers against my skin,

precious is her nose near mine,

She sits as I open two books

read a chapter from each.

Her kisses start my day.

Seagulls overhead

waves crash in the distance

umbrellas as colorful as striped beach balls

bikinis speedos

kites soar in the distance

looking further I see a barge ship,

wonder its cargo.

Sunny Isles has the bluest water

I’ve ever seen,

now New York beaches

look dirty and not as attractive.

Gazing out

you can see the ocean.

No worries of evil

only animals on a

horse riding island

with one bridge

on and off this secret space.

CoastCity is an actual band,

a duo of two talented Puerto Rican artists.

If it were a city it’d be somewhere

on the shores of Florida,

not far from Miami.

It would have R&B mixed with Caribbean soul

like their music.

Their city flag would be purple like Purple & Prince.

An area full of Daytona race cars and dreams.

Spanglish would be the dialect spoken.

A desirable place, urban community

full of Hispanic rock stars with daring dreams

cross over barriers between English and Spanish

Spanish to English we all can learn

inside song lyrics and poetry.

It won’t begin in dialect song or verse

only in action.

Our hugged embrace,

kisses on cheeks,

sparkles caught inside one another’s eyes

smiles across our faces

burning sensations

we call butterflies.

Tears will mix with laughter

sweat while it is bitter cold,

frost in a heat wave

instrumental music without lyrics,

gestures radiate it is safe.

Everything else can be left on paper.

Promise  to never forget, you

where my words are left unsaid.

Your smile contained an explanation point,

hung on by a question mark.

This world should see you for what you are,

not what you became on paper.

Long for you on a summer breeze.

Again hoped for you on statues

of angels and holy figurines

decorating fresh cut lawns.

Dreamed of you on cabbage butterfly wings

and monarchs too.

When things are good, I crave for you.

missed you more when they turn bad.

Keep you like a prayer inside my heart,

remember yesterdays.

If I could meet you

for the first time again,

warn you of your future self.

There were signs we should’ve noticed.

So much loss made you numb,

I wasn’t meant to be your hero.

An attractive

athletic, artistic

son, brother, and father

classmate and crush.

Now only a proven statistic

anyone who lives south

on Long Island.

When I close my eyes

see your smile

hear your laugh

realize you wore sunglasses

more often than not,

hiding the beautiful brown almond shapes

of your eyes.

This reality

not even prayers could save you

How did you die?