The Hotel Mandalay

I want to stay there,
at the Hotel Mandalay
Which I read about in the newspaper.
I don’t remember where in the world it is,
The Hotel Mandalay–
but I read that if a guest catches flu while traveling,
the staff at the Hotel Mandalay brings a tray
with a bowl of chicken soup,
a glass of ginger ale
and a get well card.
And now that I’ve written its name
so many times, I’ve changed my mind—
I want a job there. I want a reason
to say, every time I’m asked
where I work, “Oh,” I cay say,
“I work at the Hotel Mandalay”
which is not even close
to the worst reason I’ve
kept a job. When the interviewer
asks me why I’m applying
I’ll tell him or her that I must
have this job and not just because of
the kindness of the chicken soup
or even way the word rolls off the tongue
luxurious as chocolate
It’s how it flows onto paper like
writing the word luxurious.