A boy underneath me
in newspapers. Llevar: I lay

an apple, circling round
for hours to find him. To take away

the first time: lavar—a boy
circled me, a ripped out

page, a bed, safe
of rubies. To wash

his smile from me, ten,
toothless. I want

to take us away. To get
up. Levantarse. I gape,

touch bottle to flesh . Llorar:
glue, whiskey,

circle. Cut. To cry, drinking
you: dark-

haired brother. Llamar—
boy taking

girl. To call. Girl
taking boy. Llover: where

we can´t go—
to rain. To become

other. Llegar: to bind,
to arrive. Bones

under headlines.

(Published in Phoebe, Fall 2006)