Lulled into degrees of difficulty

Vera Cruz means “True Cross”
Santa Cruz is “Holy Cross”

The Royal Road, El Camino Real
600 miles long

El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles
(that’s L.A. to you)

but that place that no longer exists
although the name remains the same & the freeways
just as gridlocked

Oh
f   a   d   i   n   g
                              Byzantine confluence

a light scribble             flesh & bone & concrete

Where’d all this rain come from?
                                                                north & south

                              bajo de las olas

              Balboa, Big Sur, Bolinas
              bubbles
                                                rattling
far out at sea