Of Tar and Stars. Exquisite Summer Evening in Brooklyn

That thick tarred roof,
grainy under my bare feet
Raspy and warm as a cat's tongue
Darker than the summer night
I step into a beer you spilt
And that I couldn’t see in the faint starlight…

It sizzles between my toes.
It tickles and I giggle.

The roof is warm and wavy with air bubbles
Jagged with pipes we covered with candles
The warm breeze teases them
But kisses us.
The rows of houses go on forever
Music drafts through the leaved courtyards
And we have assembled here
In a city across the river from the city.

We wear the trinkets of our youth
Plain colored cotton clothes
Rhinestones in our hair
Lacquered nails, painted eyelids.
Glitter sparkles on our skins.
Orange moths signal cigarettes
Chuckling sounds the dark green
Sturdy bottles
I lie down, for I know I’ll find a whole sky to embrace me
And my friends’ beautiful presence

Fireworks may be sent skyway tonight
I am grateful
As for any intangible and freely given gift
That makes this moment perfect
As nothing - ever - is

I snatch those moments when my year ripens
When the summer dies of its own tenderness
I will leave in the morning when our bodies
Are heavy, content and weary
I will kiss all goodbye lightly, until the new summer comes
And though the thought is truly unbearable
Those moments are infinite, all of them beads
Of soul in my life
Each of them defined, but as all-encompassing
As a universe.

Oh, let me remember that night always
When all was peaceful
And I relished my friends’ warmth and glow
Even as I knew one of those planes would (soon!
Too soon!)
be taking me away
the following day maybe
When, feeling the breeze
I could still keep my ancient fear at bay
The fear to lose all, all over
Repeatedly
The beauty of summer
Short and long lived as my joy