Arbols

I've been watching these trees for weeks while I bike.
At the beginning of autumn, both trees were green.

Occasionally a bird would light on the branches on the right.
Meanwhile a green lemon emerged on the left.

Now green has turned to yellow and the branch is lower, heavier.
And green has turned to reddish-brown and the branch is higher, lighter.

In the same corner, both up and down.
In the same corner, both fruit and none.

The large window with new life.
The narrow window cycling inward.

I think about life and death and circles and leaves.
I think about nothing because it's easier that trying to sort a metaphor.

I think about how I've not seen a bird in a few weeks
And I wonder how both trees will look after the rain.

D-D-D Defense

Books have taken a backset lately to the Washington Post, Guardian, and NY Times with a side of Clarin and La Nacion.  (Aside:  "diario" is preferred to "periódico" here).  There is so much happening around the world that if I miss a day in 2017, it seems like I've missed a week's news cycle in 2016.

I did manage to nudge in A Criminal Defense by William L. Myers in the last month.  This debut novel by an attorney with thirty years of trial experience was a free Kindle read in April.  The novel moves fairly quickly with the main crime* and arrest occurring pretty early on in the book.  The characters were vivid with a few of them unlikeable by Chapter 2.  It is clear to the reader that the suspect is not completely innocent but the question of whether or not he committed the murder is open for most of the book (which lands it in the Crime Thriller category).  While I was able to guess a few of the turns the book would take along the way, the end was indeed a surprise.

The suspect's attorney is our main character and biblically speaking, he is not in a position to throw stones.  After reading through the passage describing one of his actions, I stopped reading the book for about a week.  Though I was interested in the conclusion, I couldn't believe that an attorney would make such a move...but then again, I've never worked in law.  I do know that sometimes "behind the scenes" is messy and nearly every stage has a curtain.

If you like legal thrillers where the good guys don't always have clean hands, add this one to your list.  At $3.99 currently, it's a pretty good ROI.

*There are several themes of criminal activity running through the book, but by "main", I refer to the murder of a journalist

Yo Veo

I see you seeing me

In that moment before you look away,

That I’m different somehow

Out of place, like a photo that just isn’t level.

I see you seeing me

When we lock eyes

Daring the other to turn away

And you will, unless you have something lewd to say.

I see you seeing me

As a child with shy eyes

But with a smile returned

Timidly and genuinely...that is if if I smile first.

I see you

As you dig through the trash looking for paper

As you take water from the street main

As you stop to pet a dog that isn’t yours

And I won’t let my eyes linger too long.

I will smile at you

Because I know the other side of seeing me.