you poured me cognac
just to watch me pull in too-sweet cheeks
grimaces not supposed to be grimaces
tulle skirt slips, bobbing knees
unintentioned stiletto cracks
hallow wind tunnels
you make taking
my hand into your hand.
I’ve never trembled
like this before
-abalone eyes
I’ve watched you
lay into the corners of my lips
uncrossing t’s and licking the dots
off i’s
leaving my tongue deaf
and my ears numb
you ODB, shimmy shimmy ya
lovin’
cool cool cat
“too cool 4 skool-mann”
I almost believed it:
empty notebooks, pens hollow,
Crime and Punishment buried under towels
I forgot why the longing
in your limbs
the cigarette silence
shoes by the door
nene
I want to
resurrect men sculpted
from torn sheets of music
rub my eyes
tell them- read
the neon mascara psalms
hidden in my fists.
break the teeth, snap the bone
pin the shattered mirror
to my chest
Juana Ines de La Cruz
they call me
but you’d chuckle
almost knocked off the bench
careful
the cig will scorch your thigh
ya allah are you
ever still
cachinnation clinks glass
shimmy
shimmy shaking
politely I sip, pursing merengue lips
watch me pucker, let it slip.
