qarrtsiluni

Photo by Lucy Kempton

the livid plum
has inspired

ascension to heaven
in love songs to Shiva

apologia that isn’t
for pleasures indulged

sexual metaphor
the world over

in poems and
brush paintings

made quick
and fierce

against tree trunks
the way it can be

sometimes
sweet

the way
bark prints

are left between
shoulder-blades

and legs sore
the next day

isn’t it
and the drip

the stickiness
of all of it

the decadence
of wet flesh

it’s true,
halve one

and you will know
all there is

to know
about women

place one whole
in your mouth

something learned
about men too

but turn wholly
with attention

to plum shape
flesh, texture

taste, swallow
with attention

and you will know
all there is

to know about
miracles of light

wrought in
stripped earth

and also about
the heart organ

how easily
bruised

how persuasively
flooded

how articulate
and subtle

fragile
regenerative

so soft
a ripeness

on attentive
tongue

by Jessamyn Smyth

Direct link to the mp3.

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::