Clayton Medeiros's Shared Poems

Along the early morning empty beach,
Memory’s museum rises from the fog,
My mother’s slim silhouette in the one piece
Swim suit, overseen by an arc of straw hat.
My tan boy’s body dashes into the waves
On surf bound Horseneck Beach,
Always part of the annual vacation
With Aunt Charlotte, among Fairhaven’s
Fireplace red brick walks, carefully laid
By diligent immigrant hands below
Elegant elm trees blessing the day,
And me with my brownie camera.

On the Kennedy Center's stage
A ballet from the endless war
Stumbles gracefully in Parisian
Nights where no light’s seen
In raucous celebrants’ eyes
Trapped in impotent irony
Even the lithe matador falls
Still loved by the picadors
As Hemingway’s sun rises

He sits at the table
In the cool gray evening
Outside the Red Light window.
Speaks carefully chosen words,
Rhythmic hands smooth gestures
Before the words are put down.
Inside the window, jazz plays.

The soft square mattress set in the corner
Soon followed by a beige silver muzzled
Grey hound sniffing each inch before
Curling round and round and round
Into a very well deserved nap

Gulls know something
Never to be measured
About necessary wings
Lovely updraft glides
Keening over the bay