The ocean looked like
a television screen, all silver
and flat, while I saw out
the window of the airplane
our shadow, dark and anxiety-
producing,

and the shores of Long Island
looked tropical like maybe
the Bahamas with the sun setting
giving us orange and pink
everything, everything the light
touches is the Pridelands.

This was last night. Today,
though, today is Day One in what
used to be called New Amsterdam,
overwhelmed and lost in the streets
like a Cretan to the Minotaur, but
the hope burns and my heart
breathes fire,

your heart breathes fire too. Let's
hope
I don't
lose
my
wallet.