Tres Bienvenidos

—Barcelona triptych, 1980



1. PENSIONE VIEJO
Corner room with noon-blue walls
peeling plaster, thin twin bed
old wood dresser, stuck dresser drawer

Across the courtyard, canary in his cage
old man, too, staring from his window sill
old brown jacket, old brown cap

When I bid him Buenos dias
he tip-taps out his cigarette
pulls the shutters shut


2. MUCHACHAS NO TOCAS
Up the Rambla, down the Rambla
city locals selling country crafts
wooden tables, rickety stalls

Spanish girls strut by, thick dark ropes of hair
eyes tagged only on merchandise
flowers and seashells, candy and clothes

I ask the price of a white gauze scarf
girl behind the table yanks it from my hand
spats at me in Catalan: No, no toquis!


3. LLUEVOS NO QUIEROS
Sidewalk table, white-coat waiter
unfolds a fancy café menu
basket full of sticky rolls

I order café con leche, plate of scrambled eggs
sit back and watch the promenade
parade of tourists, vagabonds like me

The waiter brings my breakfast
scrambled eggs over easy
cup of coffee a cup of tea









Jota Boombaba, when not on the road, writes in and around San Francisco, where he lives and kicks back with his son. Catch him most days at jotaboombaba.com