AT THE BEACH
Rule: 3 – 2 lines alternating
Ends with 12 links
fulfilling a last request
gray north wind
pummels with heavy drops
Robert Flannery
tourists wading in surf
eyes open for sharks
Gene Doty
from afar
calling her through both hands
white teeth Werner
Reichhold
bright green thong
between pale
cheeks GD
playing frisbee
a mouth full of sand
hair too Jean A. Jorgensen
your eye
low water John M. Bennett
concentrating on the gulls
to neutralize the nausea Carlos Colón
oh watch the cage JMB
kitchen counter:
behind the blender
the mouse’s tail GD
electric cord twitches JMB
kelp strand
wound around
her ankles GD
wet her feet
her JMB
toweling off
thirteen
toes
CC
AT THE BEACH
fulfilling a last request
gray north wind
pummels with heavy drops Robert
Flannery
in rain
the rocks find
their colors cindy
guentherman
deep in the wave
just as it breaks
light glints Gene Doty
I twinkle
and I shut my eyes
for in the dark appearing stars Werner Reichhold
wearing sunglasses
the Hollywood wantabee
stumbles
Jane Reichhold
on her hands
and knees
in front of Grauman’s Carlos
Colón
"Whata beach!"
the young tough snarls
through slitted eyes JR
a dolphin jumps
or was it Eve? WR
Primavera
the nymphs swirl their
gauze nachos GD
air a screen
nipple lifts
in shadow John M. Bennett
the wind lifts
an empty grocery sack drops it
in the weeds GD
morning
ocean sounds another
new freeway Celeste Fannin
the car
of teenagers hits
one
hundred
CC
AT THE BEACH
fulfilling a last request
gray north wind
pummels with heavy drops Robert
Flannery
in rain
the rocks find
their colors cindy guentherman
deep in the wave
just as it breaks
light glints Gene Doty
I twinkle
and I shut my eyes
for in the dark appearing stars Werner Reichhold
wearing sunglasses
the Hollywood wantabee
stumbles Jane Reichhold
on her hands
and knees
in front of Grauman’s Carlos Colón
"Whata beach!"
the young tough snarls
through slitted eyes JR
a dolphin jumps
or was it Eve? WR
Primavera
the nymphs swirl their
gauze nachos GD
air a screen
nipple lifts
in shadow John M. Bennett
the wind lifts
an empty grocery sack drops it
in the weeds GD
morning
ocean sounds another
new freeway Celeste Fannin
thundering
freight-train revealed
to be
surf
GD
AT THE BEACH
fulfilling a last request
gray north wind
pummels with heavy drops Robert Flannery
in rain
the rocks find
their colors cindy guentherman
drilling three holes -
the rose quartz bowling trophy
Carlos Colón
in the pub
end of September
most darts missing the target Werner
Reichhold
getting the point
everyone laughs at his joke
at the wrong time Jane Reichhold
eating ice cream in the dark
no more blondes WR
Carrot Top’s telephone time travel . . .
back in the Rotary Club CC
dark curls
from under swimming instructor’s suit
1950s lessons Gene Doty
blacklisted
Joe McCarthy CC
sea-spume
blurs the address
on her card GD
channel surfer lands on
"Surfside Six" CC
waves
starting to part
her hair WR
summer’s end
air from a beach
ball
CC
AT THE BEACH
fulfilling a last request
gray north wind
pummels with heavy drops Robert Flannery
in rain
the rocks find
their colors cindy guentherman
drilling three holes -
the rose quartz bowling trophy Carlos Colón
in the pub
end of September
most darts missing the target Werner Reichhold
getting the point
everyone laughs at his joke
at the wrong time Jane Reichhold
Irishman explaining
the steering wheel in his crotch:
"It drives me nuts!" ??
spitting out a shell
and a tooth Werner Reichhold
no more press conferences
let them read the
funnies Gene Doty
on which beach
can we land
and start another war? WR
one if by land
two if by sea
weapons of mass derision CC
voting with our feet
now off to the beach JR
recounting
my sins
of
omission
CC
AT THE BEACH
fulfilling a last request
gray north wind
pummels with heavy drops Robert Flannery
in rain
the rocks find
their colors cindy guentherman
drilling three holes -
the rose quartz bowling
trophy Carlos Colón
in the pub
end of September
most darts missing the target
Werner Reichhold
getting the point
everyone laughs at his joke
at the wrong time Jane Reichhold
Irishman explaining
the steering wheel in his crotch:
"It drives me nuts!" ??
spitting out a shell
and a tooth Werner
Reichhold
no more press conferences
let them read the funnies Gene Doty
on which beach
can we land
and start another war? WR
one if by land
two if by sea
weapons of mass derision CC
voting with our feet
now off to the beach JR
solstice fête
fireworks over
vagrant
chants
Francis P. Attard
AT THE BEACH
fulfilling a last request
gray north wind
pummels with heavy drops Robert
Flannery
in rain
the rocks find
their colors cindy guentherman
drilling three holes -
the rose quartz bowling trophy Carlos Colón
in the pub
end of September
most darts missing the target Werner
Reichhold
getting the point
everyone laughs at his joke
at the wrong time Jane Reichhold
Irishman explaining
the steering wheel in his crotch:
"It drives me nuts!" ??
spitting out a shell
and a tooth Werner Reichhold
no more press conferences
let them read the
funnies Gene Doty
on which beach
can we land
and start another war? WR
sand-fort
raised on a dune
all fall down Gene Doty
August rains
broken record Celeste Fannin
dusty house so quiet
sky clearing after rainfall
whispers of
starlight
RF
AT THE BEACH
sliding open
this bathroom window
startling Orion Robert
Flannery
with jeans
a belt of stars
the radiance of a daughter Jane Reichhold
tied shoelaces
tug of war
between two teams of Barbies Carlos Colón
in mirror:
the head upside
down John M. Bennett
jigsaw puzzle factory
her missing timecard CC
hissing
hose beneath t
he table JMB
after forty years
her breasts
still sweet Gene Doty
frozen in love
the night Dad turned
on the light JR
shadows
in all our pockets
still JMB
still warm
the coin clicks
into the cash drawer GD
the empty pocket
smiles JMB
on this chair
it makes the room quiet
one seated one has left WR
the gaping pita
trickles relish
and mayo GD
AT THE BEACH
sliding open
this bathroom window
startling Orion Robert
Flannery
with jeans
a belt of stars
the radiance of a daughter Jane Reichhold
tied shoelaces
tug of war
between two teams of Barbies Carlos
Colón
in mirror:
the head upside
down John M. Bennett
jigsaw puzzle factory
her missing timecard CC
hissing
hose beneath t
he table JMB
after forty years
her breasts
still sweet Gene Doty
frozen in love
the night Dad turned
on the light JR
shadows
in all our pockets
still JMB
still warm
the coin clicks
into the cash drawer GD
the empty pocket
smiles JMB
on this chair
it makes the room quiet
one seated one has left WR
Tropical heat
crème de menthe
chameleon
FPA
AT THE BEACH
sliding open
this bathroom window
startling Orion Robert Flannery
left the hair
combed my hand John M. Bennett
fair grounds
the bearded lady
dunks the clown Carlos Colón
he reaches down
to help him up a step Jean A. Jorgensen
AIDS
the joy of giving
turned around Jane Reichhold
at the gulf course
hole 18 flooded Werner Reichhold
Sunday
the rain clears
for a sun day JR
the choir’s strange voices
make distant harmonies Gene Doty
sweaty
from her hands
the him book slips JR
rock face
in pouring rain
from scowl to frown to smile
swabbed brows
Francis P. Attard
my body glows
transparent the sun shines
through
me JR
tidal waves
between the driftwood
a teddy
bear
Geert Verbeke
AT THE BEACH
sliding open
this bathroom window
startling Orion
Robert Flannery
with jeans
a belt of stars
the radiance of a daughter Jane Reichhold
tied shoelaces
tug of war
between two teams of Barbies Carlos Colón
in mirror:
the head upside
down John M. Bennett
jigsaw puzzle factory
her missing timecard CC
hissing
hose beneath t
he table JMB
after forty years
her breasts
still
sweet
Gene Doty
frozen in love
the night Dad turned
on the light JR
shadows
in all our pockets
still JMB
geese in flight
glimpse of a pilgrim’s way
a woven straw hat Francis P.
Attard
dumpster angels
fixing the big wicker chair Celeste Fannin
after the fight
reweaving the weaving
with tangled thoughts JR
AT THE BEACH
sliding open
this bathroom window
startling Orion Robert Flannery
left the hair
combed my hand John M. Bennett
fair grounds
the bearded lady
dunks the clown Carlos Colón
he reaches down
to help him up a step Jean A. Jorgensen
AIDS
the joy of giving
turned around Jane Reichhold
blue heron
passes overhead Robert Flannery
sky food
the gopher learns
to fly JR
sky diver
and hang-glider collide
at four thousand feet
Gene Doty
it is fall
wet soil embracing
unexpected guests Werner Reichhold
fiery sky
& blades of grass sketched
in charcoal Francis P. Attard
company banquet
celery stalk beefing
up the
menu
CC
AT THE BEACH
sliding open
this bathroom window
startling Orion Robert Flannery
left the hair
combed my hand John M. Bennett
fair grounds
the bearded lady
dunks the clown Carlos Colón
he reaches down
to help him up a step Jean A. Jorgensen
AIDS
the joy of giving
turned around Jane Reichhold
at the gulf course
hole 18 flooded Werner
Reichhold
Sunday
the rain clears
for a sun day JR
the choir’s strange voices
make distant harmonies Gene Doty
sweaty
from her hands
the him book slips JR
filled with drawings
traced from a night
by a comet’s tail WR
startling
in a dream monkey guffaws
at the joke Francis P. Attard
jiggling in your
suit your
armpit
hairs
John M. Bennett
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