I Like Who I Am Here

Even if it's occasionally ... rough!

i live in a place

that would seem to defy

human habitation

~

it is a short day trip away from

death valley

and a shorter trip

to a city once governed

perplexingly

by sonny bono

it is hot here

and dry

but words like those

conceal their true definitions

until you come

to where

i live.

~

the sand and sweat in my shoes

mix

and make a disgusting

but effective

exfoliant

which

(it must be said)

keeps my heels soft and pink

but there is also sand in the air

and there is also sand in my hair

and there is sand in the windowsills

and there is sand in my bottles of pills

~

there was an alligator lizard

in my car

two weeks ago

and sadly

i had no opportunity

to use it to drive

in the carpool lane

but there are also

joshua trees

and cholla

and saguaro

all kinds of cacti

and craggy mountains named after

calico

and they really look

like beautiful

floral-sprigged

cloth

and, you know?

i like who i am here.

so if it takes

lizards in my car

and sand in my house

and sweat

(so much sweat)

to make me into

this person

then i am glad

(but also

hot)