North Carolina is like...

l
o
n
g dinner table discussions

and

yellow jackets nesting
in my lover's hair.

the wondering

lurking fear
of

potential chance encounter.

meditating
to the sound
of gunfire
while
yellow
butter
flies
chase

dragonflies
mating
and

Jesus watches over

the
shoplifters

and transients
talk about the
recession

while

a dog chases
cattle staring
at a deer.

staring into
the bluest eyes
lakeside and windy

realization:

my mother's temperament

my father's capacity

tiger eye mala beads and

giggling climax at midnight.