on the balcony at dusk

the water is
blue and clear
like those jelly sandals
we used to wear
as kids

the palm trees sway
thin and tall
in the breeze
as if on a perpetual
coffee break

there are sounds of running water,
people talking,
tropical birds calling,
and Aruba’s version of
old American rock

the bushes are red, pink, and yellow
and are pruned within
an inch of their lives
this is paradise
so there must be landscaping

there is a couple walking by
in matching purple shirts
but at a break in the path
he goes right
as she stays left
makes you wonder
what that is indicative of
do they break at every intersection ...