we imbibe
sweet salt lime
and dizziness
on a mexican beach.

you go back to the room
for something,
i cut my toe on a shell
and wander off for bandaid

you return
to a me-less table
embarrassed by your
staggering wife,
the stagger equal parts
blood and tequila

dreadful your embarrassment,
fierce i held my right to drink,
and not to bleed. Both angry,
dinnerless, you be this way,
no it’s my vacation, too,
you be this way!

hot tears on the black crashing beach,
black ocean showing us oblivion
this poisoned night
as shocking as a cockfight
to us both.

some injuries we never understand,
but we forgive; another time
a splinter of stone I stepped on never came out.
it is part of me now.