#wham! #lastchristmas #touchintheofcorona

Running time: 5:00 mins A mediation, a reflection, a release to from of interior spaces and exterior places from the last four months of 2020. Read the full text here: https://bit.ly/3nf4fHn

October. Mercury. 2020. We cope by Baking sweet things Listening to sweet things We survive by Doing the thing Thriving & Shining Don't look at me, Just listen.

Y’all these Dog Days Dog Days Dog Days We got grew gained Too big too much Dog Days Dog Days Dog Days ___________ Came & checkmate ____________Came & checkmate ___________ Came & checkmate Dog Days Dog Days Dog Days To Move Forward Do We Bring Back to Return to Restructure to Rescale to Downsize to Dog Days Dog Days Dog Days AC and Fan Blasting Front & Back Front to Back I know I’m killing You to save Me Dog Days Dog Days Dog Days My Dad spoke of A Love Cocoon of Happy Memories in Your Memory Bank that You Bring Them Back to Back to the Front When you need them, the most.

Standby (or I’ll never be your pinup or for Joyce Bryant or Day 109 or I’ll dress like a Lynette Yiadom-Boakye since I can’t afford one or “Is abolition a synonym for love”, Saidiya Hartman”) Julia called it, I’d put it in a poem In search of a stud A sire to the dame He’s a purebred that’s beguiled Bewitched Bothered & bewildered 467 Star Deli White tshirts crowd around Black t & short shorts The revitalization of our Harlem Street lights flame up Letters rainbow hued Moths mosquitoes to a Seafood fried Fest / Feast I want your eyes like this pug pup Did you move on already? Where’s your sign? Cardboards all around [beat] I walk 125 I walk 125 Waiting waiting wishing the Krispy Kreme opening soon piping hot Don’t make me run I will I’d dance if you asked me to On these now empty streets My pace changes on the beat the beat the beat that drops under the sign of the Grecian god [beat] Late early Summer nights Red tents Watermelon & barbecue on the corner of 126 & Lenox.

blushing archways blushing archways in shades of pink blushing archways in shades of pink against a backdrop of beige tan & sienna blushing archways in shades of pink against a backdrop of beige tan & sienna flowering bursts tempered tempered by morning outbursts poured down scattered out about around I wanna run my fingers along through across You You You but I’m not the Wind blow for me as I inhale exhale in here.

“What is most impressive in the hospitals is not the ventilators, CT scanners or other high-tech wizardry. It’s the compassion and courage of health workers, and the intervention that struck me the most was decidedly low-tech — the hand-holding. Katherine Chavez, a nurse at Montefiore Moses, recalled a man in his early 40s with no medical history. He was intubated, and she spent 12 hours by his bedside as he struggled for life. “He would grab my hand, and I just kept telling him that everything is going to be OK,” she said.” Life and Death in the ‘Hot Zone’ by Nicholas Kristof, NYTimes digital edition, Sunday, April 12, 2020 To Start: WASH UP I talk dirty to an empty room Was Goldilocks feeling deprived? Just close your eyes and say, "Ahhhhh.” [beat] ACTION: Straddle Wrap Fold Mold Drape Squeeze Hold Embrace Cuddle All Furniture in the room you inhabit that previously was touched by occupied by another [beat] Hug a tree they said Just close your eyes and say, "Ahhhhh.” [beat] Now take an inventory around you / of Your surroundings now / How much is / smooth edges, rounded forms, bright hues, warm & consuming sinking beckoning close comfort into / Touch? / How much is / sharp corners, hard lines, cool hues, cold & shunning detracting rejecting close comfort into / Touch? / Where do you linger? / What do you hold? / What do you share? [resume] Why are the birds so loud now? Is it because the traffic has subsided? No, it’s mating season. You are your safest and most devoted lover. Just close your eyes and say, "Ahhhhh.” To End: WASH UP

Touch in the time of Corona

Excerpt of a work in progress. I want cymbals and a public bar. It was a ritual purge. Words words words words words So we probably won't see one another again before___________. Words words words words words Words words words words words Words words words words words Words words words words words Words words words words words Words words words words words But I would like it a lot of we can keep up some semblance of our ongoing text message epic words words words words words words words words so many many many many many many many many many many words words words words words words were released and shared and purged and your bottomless brown eyes and and released and held and buried and released and shared and purged andand released and held and buried and released released released into Those sweet nothings whispered spoken sent were just sweet nothings Because in addition to being really into your fro (Time Warner guy ain't the only one) Nothings not a thing but You talk a good game your incredible smile (it's almost too much) the Director shouts________ Minor league players players players with dreams of the majors I love talking to you Man of_______________ Man of little ___________ _______ speak spoke say are louder than words A man of few words, but a man of many________ The Director yells__________ When the ___________doesnt match the_________ White flag surrender white T-shirt lingered lingered too long too long so long bygone So long in the dark the shadows the corners the crevices Dip me in a brighter white Dipped you in a bleaching light Detox purify cleanse the yellowed pits stained stained stained sweated in permanent stain Throw you out Cut me out Eat away rot away scrub scrub scratch the surface to another surface to another surface to another another another another anothers nails to nubs to find some other facade To find To fill ever present A void To no where where are you? who are you?