you know —
the bars in Mexico, where the
shots are within the jello
little squares
jello shot here
jello shots there
anyone want a jello shot
they walk around the bar selling ’em
jello
jello
jello
everywhere
the only reason
I went in
was that a chick
from Argentina
told me that the fellas at the entrance
were keeping her out
“Why’s that, dear?”
“Because I won’t dance with the lead singer in the
band.”
Argentine Spanish is spoken just
enough differently than Mexican Spanish that
I had a hard time figuring out her deal.
eg, her situation.
facts were,
that she, her mother and her sister were
staying at the hotel the one where I had swimming-pool privileges.
my home was blocks away in an apartment
finally, I said,
“I don’t care who’s at the door, on
my arm, you’ll get in.”
off we go
an hour later
once I’d dried off and
put on a t-shirt
damn that girl danced me ta death
her sister looked very pissed
I never asked the sis-ta dance but once
and she was five years older
and looked very surly
the lead singer
he was out of the market
and he knew it
we danced right on
and right in front him
I didn’t see any problem
band was good
jello shots were offered every three feet and
I don’t drink
neither did she
we just danced away the time
next day my thighs felt like a hammer had been
flailing on them all night
I did sleep alone
after all
I’m a gentleman
she was twenty-six years younger
one year younger than my limit
no,
I keep to women age
she was so plaintiff as to her need to get into
the jello-shot-bar
and was so damn attractive I
figured,
can’t lose
and I didn’t
gishi bian
10:35 pm mst usa
5 septiembre 2018
on top of it I
managed to get back to the US
the shit hole of the universe
speaking of the universe
how did it get here
how did we
you don’t have that answer
no one does
not even the hotshot evolutionary b
iologists and
their fruit flies
orphans
widows in distress
parched mouths
folks in jail
hungry
without a meal
no place to stay
the sick
look
keep looking
those people are Jesus in our midst
smell them
touch them
give to them
the children
oh, they love a mango
just one
then they show you where the jellyfish aren’t down
at the beach
otherwise
sting sting sting
children running together
laughing
barefoot
screaming out
banter
love
children love
they just do
the mom and dad just drop them off, forever
the kids, they don’t know
’cause the orphanage, and it’s rice,
tortillas and beans fill ’em up
they sleep on bare mattresses
small blankets
that’s Jesus
right there
the man I knew
he made it all happen
and slept on a mattress too
cockroaches surrounding him
and us
a bishop he was
next time ya think you have it bad
think of how great you have it
as you count those dollars
as you pick your new car
headphones
pink shoes that match that shirt ya have
carpet
just think
you have carpet
they walk barefoot on cement
yet they smile so brightly
play so joyfully
how ’bout you
yea.
I didn’t think so.
no. I didn’t.
it’s a rhetorical question.
but, I know well that ya live sweetly
eat like a king
spend like a fish
drink like one too
well
Jesus calls
calls
one day fella
you won’t get ta hear it
one day
for now
his voice rings out, and
by it —
all you see came
to be
that’s the answer you didn’t have
Jesus was a kid once
I know he played
I know his mom
and ya know
at the very end He
was sure that she’d be safe
the apostle he loved he
made room in his home
just for her
I bet he let her eat before he did
gentlewoman
laughing children
mango juice
give Jesus a chance
that cross
it saved us
you too
just believe and follow
I love you,
whoever you may be
if you walk into the jello bar
huh
no. on second thought, don’t.
I’m sure that that shiny bright car of yours needs a
polish.
and
all you see
came to be
through the Lord.
who we call, Jesus,
our friend
about the voice’s mom: Hail Mary, Gentle Woman
about the man: Here I Am, Lord – John Michael Talbot
fin
Yellow Rose (of Texas) Publications
Scripture footnote: The Gospel of Saint Matthew 9:9-13
Scripture footnote: The Gospel of Saint John 1:1-5
Scripture footnote: The Gospel of Saint Luke 1:36-56
Scripture footnote: The Gospel of Saint Matthew 25:31-28
