when i was a kid too young
to paint with words purple as clouds
bright like a red and yellow balloon
over lobos peppers and animal shaped rocks
my ten toes landed in new mexico
eyes dust storms looping and taking in
too much sun pressed earth to conquer
—
Van G. Garrett appreciates boxing, bull fighting, photographing hummingbirds in Tuscany, and the trumpeted sounds of Miles Davis. A watch aficionado, Van is the author of Songs in Blue Negritude (poetry), ZURI: Selected Love Songs (poetry), and the forthcoming novel The Unbuckling Days of Stacy Adams (Gee Van Garrett). www.vanggarrettpoet.com
200 New Mexico Poems 
‘my ten toes landed in new mexico’: very vivid line any poet would be glad to have written.
Hi Van,
Did you work with Eugene Redmond and Darlene Roy in East St. Louis, as I did in the 80’s and 90’s? That poetry form, I believe, the kwansaba, was created by Eugene. Glad to see it moving out. Nice work.
janet eigner