World Cup Sonnet

It was the summer of ’94 and

I remember it because it was the

year the U.S. was hosting the World Cup –

and up in Palo Alto the Brazilians

were dominating the games to the

rhythm of their metal drums & djimbés

and we could feel the energy coming

down from Stanford to where I lived in San

Jose, in the barrio and farther south

into Los Gatos – they were dancing &

celebrating : the pulse of the salsa

and the hard hard rhythms,

and the futbol.

And I would stay up all night in those days

& stand bare-chested on my balcony

overlooking El Salvador’s house and

he, waking up early, drinking canned beer,

watering his plants & shouting up to me,

Did you see the game last night? Beautiful!

In Los Gatos – all night, man! – the women

and Brazilians wearing the yellow and

the green – the colors of true champions