We spend our lives disliking people
who like us and loving people who will never love us
back

There’s a clumsiness
to the way I unbutton my shirt,
hoist it over my head
and let it snuffle to the floor.

I stand there, *******
and unkempt armpit hair on display
but you’ve already almost
totally disrobed,

the light from outside
licking your spine,
dribbling down a leg
like melted sunflower petals.

We catch each other’s eyes,
except you don’t catch eyes,
you see the other person
looking at you
and you know what’s next,

the standing ****,
dry skin and bellybuttons
viewed only by a fortunate few,
a bunch of names
like grapes squashed
into bed sheets
we won’t touch again.

I think this is supposed to be sexier,
my underwear flinging off,
boxer shorts champagne cork
towards the window,
your bra sunny side up
by the foot of the door.

Rather I watch you
peer at the skin I’m in
waiting for a shrill buzzer sound,
a number out of ten
and a spatter of applause
from a conjured-up crowd.

I think you look glorious.
I go to say this but my brain feels
as though it’s been whisked.
You walk over, slink your hands
towards my face,
put an icicle finger to my lips.
I’ve no idea what I’m doing
but you’ll show me the way.

he looked at me as if i was poetry
and he held me.
he held me as if my thorns weren't there, as if they didn't even touch him,
when they actually hurt him, cut him almost as deep as my wounds that he's been trying to heal.
but he stayed
through the drought and the hurricane.
he bled for me, he held me through my insanity.
and i've never been so afraid,
i'm afraid he's going to love me.

—k. aoife maude
i'm afraid i'll hurt him even more.

She tasted like cigarettes and whiskey... she wore red lipstick and a tight black dress.
I didn't feel a thing for her except envy when we first met.
She told me with a smile I couldn't handle my liquor and I laughed in her face and swallowed that Whiskey straight down.
She grabbed my hand and we were gone.

The next night she tasted like Vanilla and Chai.. she wore black ripped jeans and purple lipstick.
I didn't feel a thing for her except humor.
I told her with a smile she couldn't handle her liquor and she laughed and swallowed that Scotch straight down.
I grabbed her hand and ran .

One more night and she tasted like bubble gum and spice... she wore a black sundress and combat boots.
I felt like maybe I was falling in love with this girl.
She told me with a smile that we should get some drinks since we both can't handle out liquor.
I laughed and grabbed her hand and we walked off to the bar.

I absorbed,
Blotted misery,
Lapped with eyes,
Soaked-up transgressions,
Mopped-up history,
Was steeped in trials,
Ingested triumphs,
And truly assimilated.
But the ground is saturated,
My prints fill
With the brine
Squeezed out.
I am the salt on the earth,
Parched and cracked.
You preferred candyfloss;
I dripped the last drop.