in my dream i am taller and you are more attentive

in los angeles

the bright sun finds arms

and legs

but not  eyes

there is no squinting

in los angeles

my hat    is straw

white straw with a navy band

it is easy to spot

on someone so tall

an angeleno in a seersucker suit

with   white shoes

nineteen fifty two

back from my korean vacation

where i killed

with guns and sometimes      knives

i loved their wives

in the name of democracy

and beach front motel property

in florida

which is where i used to be from

before korea

grew taller

and moved

to los angeles

and my sweet southern drawl

my two and a half syllables to say ‘y’all’

hero to one

hero to all

never to fail

never to fall

you stare at me now

the way

i used to stare at you

in that northern florida panhandle

dirt farmer sun

before you went back

to wales

and i went back

to jail

where they had me sign up

for the korean vacation

to grow taller

and end up

here

           with you

euro pale white turned

    tan brown

pretty hair hanging down

staring straight back at me

in my dream   

                  i am taller

       and you are more attentive