Marc Tretin

MAYA RICCI AFTER EXCAVATING A PYRAMID SOUTH OF CAIRO

As I stooped beneath the

standing Sun within the

meter by meter carefully

measured order of this

archeological dig and

brushed pottery shards

and papyrus crumbs through

a sieve to sift out the sand,

the heat’s strong hands

touched me like a half-

wanted lover, whose warmth 

is too familiar with my

body to refuse and that’s

why when Jamaal, the site

boss said, “You look

overheated.

Cool off in my trailer.”

I said,”Yes,” knowing I

wanted to betray Justin

but not knowing why. So

after we had sex and while

I was thinking how I can 

use this experience,

I saw Jamaal shave with 

a straight edge then I saw

the dead-on right image for the God Set,

a cave-sized skull made of razor blades,

entered by stepping  

over teeth made of sharp knives

into total darkness

except for a weak light

piercing this skull

through one of its eyes

and in that eye is a web

and tangled in its threads 

are Zipporah and Justin. 

Their faces, formless rags. 

Their bodies sucked out hulks.

Marc Tretin is a retired attorney who is devoting his declining years to poetry. He lives with a very understanding wife and his adult daughter, as well as a French bulldog, a poodle and shapaniel mixed breed, and two cats. He is happy, partially because he jumps rope every day. Full Profile