Collection

1. Nathan\'s Story\r\n\r\nThe hammerhead cruises Bourbon Street at night\r\nIts blunt head abruptly shifts\r\nWith no regard for rhythm\r\nIt sniffs cantankerous at saxophones\r\nSwallows whole the fast-food meals\r\nGumbo and rice in styrofoam\r\n\r\nThe delicate feet of the alligators\r\nGrope downwards through the water\r\nQuickly learn the crevices of awnings\r\nThe gators accumulate on the larger buildings\r\nAnd gather new rumors of food\r\n\r\nNathan Tillman has seen no alligators\r\nSharks in the waters are still\r\nDark rumors\r\nNathan\'s aerobed® lies soft against his skin\r\nSo soft it threatens to give in\r\nAnd release him to the bottom\r\n\r\nHis body is wrenching for water\r\nHe\'s had none in almost two days\r\nAnd water surrounds him\r\nWater surrounds him, but it reeks\r\nOf gasoline and sewage\r\nCadavers, alcohol and chemical spills\r\n\r\nIts skin is a patina of dead chickens and cooking grease\r\nChristmas tree balls, bubble wrap, plastic bottles, voodoo baubles\r\nPopsicle sticks, puffed rice cereal -\r\nCereal, my God, food -\r\nHuman or dog feces\r\nAnd the endlessly breeding mosquitos\r\n\r\nThe arches of McDonald\'s® are visible\r\nAbove the water\r\nThe grocery store, he knows, is about 40 feet away\r\nThrough the water he can see the top of the building\r\nMaybe three feet down\r\n\r\nHe clenches his face and unloads himself\r\nHow can he keep the mattress from floating off?\r\nHe must deflate it, knowing that means\r\nHe must blow it up again, by mouth\r\nAs he did this morning\r\nWhen it is time to escape