Amid a few nonplussed party guests,
to contemplate Emilie’s astounding-
ly inventive dresses for survival in
adversity, dresses that grow food,
float, and provide seating and shelter.
Self-irrigating dresses, plaid and inflatable
dresses with hooks, storage pouches,
and foam extensions. Twelve days later
“hell itself breathes out contagion
to this world” with an unfathomable
267,000 daily infections nationally.
It gets worse. Dense brain
can’t grasp the radiant clusters, the kinetics
of the fifteenth letter of the alphabet.
“It’s all Greek to me.” Going bust too,
another high-end clothing retailer joins
the experience economy, rebrands
itself as a purveyor of experiences
in Copenhagen sometime down the line
when experience can be experienced again.
Duck face will have to do for the time being.
Some don beaks in floral patterns or animal
prints, with Mickey Mouse on them, logos,
slogans, and even sequined beaks,
while others continue to refuse them.

It’s the longest night of the year.

Tin tree ornaments from Sueños Inc.
come at Leo’s behest when showing him
our tree on a live video call

TORTUGA   ELEFANTE   COCODRILO   TIGRE   LEÓN

At two he skips four when counting to five—
that I didn’t get the turtle and the tiger
goes unnoticed. In their stead came a serpent
and a bull and a giant red pepper to write
in signs that a toddler might understand.
Never mind the bull’s bullfighting attire.
Time is either ripe for undoing, unripe
for the doing, or all of the above.

It’s the longest night of the year.