short

night and day
momentary power cuts
on and off
conversations stop
midsentence
fumble in the dark
where is my fork?
lights on
there it is

 
i never knew lizards chirped
it lasts only a few beats
a high pitched squeal
the friendly one greets me on my window mesh each day
or just before i lay my head on my pillow
a goodnight screech


in the middle of the night
they attack
mosquito season on my legs
red itchy itches
scratching up a storm
'oh my, look at your legs'  they exclaim
daily reminders

itch
scratch
gringa flesh


an iguana parks himself under an almond tree
prehistoric skin in downtown guayaquil
a man sitting under a tree with an iguana on his lap
feeding it the occassional banana chip from his small plastic bag
he eats one himself and gives it a pat
so casual
so relaxed
at the city center park where suits meet iguanas
with no blink of an eye


transactions through bars
not stepping one foot inside the corner store
we stare at each other through the steel between us
i cant quite make out the face
bars everywhere
doors
windows
obscuring the vision