Greg Simon
	My Nicaragua Maria Esthela C. The heat outside the airport. Yellow school bus to Rivas. Children who are half-naked. The fey Jesus on the bus. Ferry to Ometepe. Cifar is on the ferry. He drinks so much beer I piss. Oil the pump & it works! There is no way we will sink! Road to Hotel Istiam. All the ruts bruise my kidneys. The Presidential Suite. Chicken soup & Rioja. In the morning my 3 chicks. In the morning my A+. One kiss from Esthela C. I pretend that I am chaste. I am the King for a day. Sunken banana ferry. The school bus to Managua. Once again my poor kidneys. Maria Manuela. Hotel of the Balconies. The skirt of the sweeping girl. Daniel shows me the right beer. I meet a soul barnacle. Mariano Bermudez. Moises takes my photographs. Marta buys a flask of rum. The Cathedral of Leon. Cathedral Sutiava. Pescadito Restaurant. I dance with Marianna. I fall in love with isis. I read the poems of Ruben. I dance on the wooden stage. Mi musa kisses my cheek. isis loving my Ruben. Later she's gone when I read. isis reads a poem to me. I am gone when she's reading. The drive back to Managua. American Embassy. They pay for our rooms with cash. We meet the world champion. Steve & Jorge Eduardo. Both of them shadow boxing. Ilan & I: innocent. We stand still; read poetry. "Leon was more beautiful." A quote from Esthela C. An actress kisses my cheek. I learn love is platonic. isis is not there, not there. She's not there in Granada. She's not there at the concert. She's not there at the airport. I have nothing left to give. I no longer want to live. The red-eye from Atlanta. I pick up my pen & write.