Lighter on the beach

Lighter on the beach

No light. But sunlight
this smoker on the beach
the snitch snitch snitch
of the broken lighter

can't-
wait! the lighter lit!
flame roused at last
to lick the end
of my camel cigarette

waves roll in under a blue panoply
inhaling in time with the undertow

a mouth full of accepting this world
the taste of steel and cars and streets
on my tongue

lying here on the frayed carpet
that is the beach

the first hot day of the season
first beach cigarette
and lithe-girl-eye-contact
a combination
to cauterize my breath
to a soundtrack
by Oscar Peterson