By Edward Carvalho
Indiana University of Pennsylvania

For Ron Slate

Yes, a white swirl moving tectonic over
a grove of cacao smells as foul
as its flower, yes, Colonel—

But what happened to your love
of Sheikhespeare, all the iambs of plastique?

Tell me about the fuselage of a plane
made to look like a twisted red can
in the field at Lockerbie.

Colonel, I have heard of its passengers folded
into cherelles
no leathery wings like the cocoa.

Do they also smell like scorched sugar?