View from El Cortez

Outside my window
an enormous Gila monster
sprays venom
across the side of the next building,
dissolving concrete.
The mountains in the distance
between lies dry sand and the dark
discrete spots of green, palm trees and
desert grass
mixed with the occasional glitter
of a car or window.
The cacti crunch,
gritty florets of broccoli
with an extra bite
of needles.
A haze separates mountains from land
and makes them a part of the sky.

Alexa Locksley is an escaped Midwesterner who currently lives in Las Vegas with her spouse and dog. She teaches English and film studies, and sustains herself primarily on black coffee. She has previously published work in Crack the Spine (as Jocelyn Locksley) and can be found on Twitter @AlexaLocksley.