DS Maolalai

it’s a beautiful evening.
a man in the street
puts his hand on a wall 
and throws up a whole
brass section orchestra
while sun sets its head 
against everything,
making stubble of dust
hung with five o’clock 
shadows. the street
turns its neck like a woman
with wonderful hair. the trees 
fill with red evening 
light and the sky is a tantrum. 
cars move like cows
being herded toward home. 
this man, so well lit, throwing up 
some dog’s breakfast, a start-stopping
jazz of trombones — you can tell 
he is digging up
harder than shovels. you can tell
his whole soul’s 
coming out. 

DS MAOLALAI has been nominated nine times for Best of the Net and seven times for the Pushcart Prize. He has released two collections, “Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden” (Encircle Press, 2016) and “Sad Havoc Among the Birds” (Turas Press, 2019). His third collection, “Noble Rot” is scheduled for release in April 2022.