*
The octopus flashed
Calm blue and brown, teasing me
Like a fan dancer.
*
Pulse pounding, sweating,
I dig in my pocket for
The engagement ring.
*
The ruffian wind
Elbows through dogwoods leaving
Drifts of white petals
*
The singer wails out
Para bailar la bamba
Tequila goes down
Mick Kulp is a writer and father of two mostly grown children who have survived his shenanigans through smarts they inherited from their mother. His nonfiction articles, fictional stories, and poems have appeared in consumer magazines, newspapers, and literary journals.