Five Poems by Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal

Five Poems by Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal 

 

1. Take My Time

 

So long ago

I lived my life

in a hurry

only to find

I did not live.

 

I retrace my

steps trying to

get my life back.

I take my time.

I savor life.

 

Hopefully, I

have a little

life left, where I

can find a bit

of joy for once

 

I made myself

tired for the last

time living life

in haste without

slowing down to

 

taste the fruit and

smell the flowers,

to contemplate

life in real time.

 

 

*

 

2. Loneliness Talks

 

Loneliness talks nonstop.

 

It seeks to conjure companionship.

That’s all it really wants.

 

It wants to split up with solitude.

 

It is tired of its silence.

Solitude never wants to talk

 

and loneliness needs to hear its voice.

 

There is so much it wants to talk about

that gets lost in translation.

 

 

*

3. From Here to There 

 

If I could be a snail,

that would be

fine by me.

I would go from here

to there at

gentle speed.

 

I would take my time

without a care

in the world.

Being a snail would be

something else

from my point of view.

 

It would be real good

to test my velocity

from time to time.

I am certain I would

move at the same pace

throughout my life.

 

 

*

4. Once Again

 

Lips that say my name.

Lips that tease an evening stroll.

Should I believe them?

Should I put my trust in them?

 

Lips that come out of the shadows.

Lips that disdain the light.

Should I hold my breath?

It’s getting late and dark.

 

The crushing of a heart

to pebbles from a solid stone,

from dust to nothing,

will it take place again?

Flailing with tired arms

once again.

 

 

*

5. If I Lose My Hair

 

If I lose my hair,

I will not feel sad.

I have lost many things

more concerning.

If I lose my head

in a fit of rage

as I watch television

on Election Day,

it might be time to leave

the country, voluntarily

or involuntarily,

I do not know which

will come first.

If I lose an ear,

just call me Vincent.

I will take up painting

and draw the devil

 

tanning on the sun.

I will draw the devil

hairless, headless, tailless,

and missing an ear.

 

It will be dangerous times

like in the times of dragons,

and the elected leader

will be grinning,

reckless in his decisions,

hallucinating with the devil,

compulsive, and

mad. He will spend all day

pursuing the almighty dollar.

He will dry up the sea

and name the land after him.

 

Bio of the Poet: Born in Mexico, Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal, lives in California and works in Los Angeles. His poetry and artwork have appeared in Blue Collar Review, Borderless Journal, Himalaya Diary, Oddball Magazine, Unlikely Stories, and Yellow Mama Webzine. His most recent poetry book, Make the Water Laugh, was published by Rogue Wolf Press. Kendra Steiner Editions published  7 of his chapbooks.