Mambo Habana
       

Grajo en jacaranda—peep, peep, peep
Hoja de Santa, I can't sleep. A vivid dream
came back to me, of casa lindas by the sea.

I saw a parrot in a tree. I swear that pájaro
smiled at me. Then he said a dirty word:
pinche gringo, and he flew away.

I like the boys on Malécon. They swarm
like bees A-maricons. One smiled at me
then flashed his eyes, laughing as he ran away.

At dusk las palma flirt and sway. El sol
ta dormiendo for the day. But my heart
beats faster now, thinking of that pretty boy.

At night I wandered the cafés, crisscrossed
the district every way. Then a barstool turned
and that chava-guapo blew a kiss my way.

In bed the sound of surf held sway. Cha-cha-cha—
thunder and lightning all the way. When dawn
and jasmine bloomed, he stole my wallet and flew away.

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Copyright © 2013 Philip Alvaré All rights reserved
from Subtropics
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission