Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal

HELL


Standing at the window

on a clear day,

inside there is no such

picture.  The air

conditioner is blowing

hot air and management

reports they called

the repairman.  It is

their prepared response.

Yesterday and the day

before, this is what they

told us.  Meanwhile

I tell the secretary upstairs

that a cockroach has

died on my desk.  She says

they have called the

exterminator: another

prepared response.  Don't

bother I tell her.  It is

the heat that has killed it.

The line goes quiet: then

she starts to laugh.  Oh,

I see you're making a joke,

No, I'm not, I tell her,

It's hell down here.



BEAT


it is raining

sunshine

shadows

of slumped shoulders


can be seen

on the sidewalk

blame the sun

once again

heat is cruel


a tree could

provide solace

in a time like this

but in this city


they're few and far

between, but

there is sun

and cement

like a pot

no oil is needed


on the way to work

I'm already beat

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