new moon in Leo

there’s a portal on Flatbush 

there’s a portal on Flatbush

not too far from the Church ave. stop

laying somewhere between futuristic technology and a miracle 

disguised among fruit-stand rainbows 

and jewel-encrusted tables 

unassuming, it hides its wonder beneath the veneer of a small street cart 

with four shelves 

my eyes roam down the row of teeny tincture bottles

and glass vials filled with oils 

and if I close my eyes I can hear the waves rolling in 

and the dogs barking in the distance 

and aunties sucking their teeth

and calypso 

disappearing in a cloud of patchouli incense smoke 

and in the tubs of black soap,

exists a truer night than could ever be in the world I knew

there’s a portal on Flatbush,

please be careful 

I was walking 

quickly and running late 

when I was pulled through 

and my body remained on the sidewalk, left to fend for herself

he called us neighbors 

and then there was nothing 

and then the ground slipped out from beneath my feet

and the sky turned inside out  

it was like passing beneath the gentle but forceful embrace of a waterfall 

bubbles foamed at my feet 

my soft gaze filtered through the curls dripping down my face

and I watched the sea flowing vertically out of the sky 

or like drowning

on a cellular level 

I am sure they are everywhere but that’s the one that I know 

sitting there on Flatbush. 

but I can buy sugar cane on La Brea 

and learn to make my own black cake 

shea butter can fly around in flat rate boxes

spells can too 

I can eat something juicy 

and let it remind me that there is space to be dying and delicious at once