Take It Home Dirty

begins with a spark
and later
an alchemy
begins at a cedar wood and
finishes on butter smooth and strange
lederhosen, lederhosen babbling brook
still in that wood green to red to smoked
blackberries vining at the periphery
a silk, fragrant drift –
peppertree on my tongue

and at last breath
he is tart, focused
and dark night falls in

his hand drops the glass

Note to reader: This piece was written on the occasion of a Thursday Night Wine Tasting at Zillie’s Island Pantry on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. The lovely staff and the wines and food pairings they presented served as my inspiration. My gratitude to David, William, Will and Mackie Bell. Cheers!

PS. To anyone that is reading this, I implore you to go to Zillie’s if ever you find yourself on the island. You will not regret it.

3 For Mama

fingers entwined
backlit
and what shines through

what shines through
is a forgotten wish
a brackish breath

what shines through
is a forgotten abyss
is a missed step

what shines through
is best
not forgotten

as it entwines you
like fingers
lit
back

3 for Kenzie

endless
soft
coiled
lambent, no grid
i feel you, lovely
full joy
uncorrected
text not yet but
inked on forever
like a nap, feline
mapped out with boys on the side
coffee on your tongue
liquid stone
acquired resonance

how are you gonna do that to his soul