July 5: Poet of the Week, Martin Espada, "My Cockroach Lover"

Yes, I have chosen a Poet of the Week:  Martin Espada, who was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2007.  I chose him because I am totally unfamiliar with his work, and I wanted to find a new favorite poet.

Tonight's poem is weird.  Kafkaesque even.

Saint Marty hopes he doesn't wake up as a bug tomorrow morning.

My Cockroach Lover

by:  Martin Espada

The summer I slept
on JC's couch,
there were roaches
between the bristles
of my toothbrush,
roaches pouring
from the speakers
of the stereo.
A light flipped on
in the kitchen at night
revealed a Republican
National Convention
of roaches,
an Indianapolis 500
of roaches.

One night I dreamed
a giant roach
leaned over me,
brushing my face
with kind antennae
and whispered, "I love you."
I awoke slapping myself
and watched the darkness
for hours, because I realized
this was a dream
and so that meant
the cockroach did not really love me.