Stripped Colors

The crab’s remnants 
were fixed in exaltation 
on the jettied rock, its jagged point 
pointing towards Maui’s heavens, 

the 11 AM sun scorching 
my brother and I’s backs 
as he cliff jumps, and I watch 
from the lava rocks; 
the sun’s bands 
peering through the hand 

held above my brow 
the crab’s pearls before me 
hollow, gazing at the sun 
the breeze air-stripping 
its former shell 
of a colored shape 

a climbing tide against 
the smooth volcanic crust 
my brother rising with it 
our bodies resettled on the rocks 
his hand across my shoulder 

“I wish we could 
experience this 
With everyone” 
The red and white flakes 
of the old crab’s shell 
drifting 

into the Pacific 
lure of the blue 
a call from 
the jagged edge 
of Maui, 

my brother jumping in 
                            again.

Morgen! International Poetry & Translation.

in paradiso, ego sum