Summer Dancing

Summer Dancing
By: James Dubeau

Under the hot summer sun
Some seek shade
Some seek drinks
While I seek dance

Thunderous drums
Echo off buildings
A harmonica wails
Struggling to keep up
With the burning fiddle

They dance amongst me
Throwing themselves
About the open lot
In front of the stage
So sun
No heat
Shall keep these revelers
Away from the pleasure
Of dance

Last Night Together

Last Night Together
By: James Dubeau

Our lips met
We closed together
Tight
Passion flared
Before removing
My white over shirt
Not wanting to stain it
That shade of crimson
I knew what had to be done
By yet
The knife trembled
In my hand
Our eyes met
The short blade
Pierced flesh
Plunging
Twirling
Removing the unwanted
Slicing in twain
My hands
Became stained
Deep crimson
Droplets splattered
The counter and tile
I kissed her lips
And discarded
The waste

Hector

Hector
By: James Dubeau

Hector
Magnificent hunter
No prey can escape
Razor sharp claws
No bird of wing
Or beast of foot
Can survive
Crushing jaws
But yet
You lay on your back
Belly exposed
Wearing a pretty green collar
With twinkling bells
Looking for rubs
Looking for love
From those
Who house you
Who feed you
Who love you

Barroom Band

Barroom Band
By: James Dubeau

The barroom band rocks
Swaying
Jumping
Singing
Quickened beats skitter
Across checkered tile
Guitar and drums
Barroom standards
Set the tempo
Leaving the sax
Xylophone
And saw
To fill in odd melodies
Intoxicating the night air
Throwing patrons
With beers in hand
About the joint

Played On

Played On
By: James Dubeau

It was sad
And slow
Meandering words sung
In some language
That I don’t understand
Maybe French
Or Portuguese
It does not matter
My soul knows
The heartbreak
Hidden deep in those words
As the band grew quiet
And the accordion
Played on

On This Night

On This Night
By: James Dubeau

On this night
I reach out
For you
To be in my arms
Held close
In this heat
That suffocates so
The land is dead
Wilted
By the oppressive sun
But the ten
In my belly
Keep me
Where I need to be
Under the air conditioning
Letting me sleep
Alone

Fourth

Fourth
By: James Dubeau

The field is aglow
With the light
Of a thousand
Fireflies
Giving us four
Our own private
4th of July
Off in the distance
Booms echo
Off the trees and buildings
Surrounding
The inner city parkland
Distant flashing lights
Atop the hospital
Radio towers
And boom cranes
Add to the entertainment
As the four walk
Hand in hand
Watching dusk rise

Doppelganger

Doppelganger
By: James Dubeau

There he sits
Staring at me
Waiting
For me to turn
To acknowledge him
Before he strikes
Slivers of light
Pierce the night air
Illumining
His evil
Sharp toothed
Grin
And the blade
Clutched
In his hand
His thoughts mirror mine
But yet
Dark and twisted
For he is a doppelganger
From another time
Another place
Another dimension
I refuse to turn
To look at him
To grant him satisfaction
Of seeing him
Crouched
Down the dark hallway
Leading from my bedroom
He cannot become me
He cannot replace me
If I do not open my eyes
If I do not turn in bed
If I do not
Look upon him