I strain to return to myself—
a peony dewy-eyed, unbeknownst to
the bittersweet taste of your chocolate eyes,
yet biting into it
while you watch.

I dared to do that.
I became your dream
with my pure red mouth,
arched back,
eyes singing.

You wanted to listen some more, didn’t you?
But then, that is all you ever did:
You wanted,
nothing more, nothing less,
and look what you’ve done;

My heart crumbled into pomegranate seeds—
I pick them up on my knees,
smear my mouth with them,
staining it red
as I eat them.

I pretend they are remnants of
the good girl I used to be,
white peony petals.
I don’t want you any longer;
I want her back.

my love, I think
I flourish in winter,
for while I slept
a serene dream
brushed its lips against
my cheek and for
a small moment of
naivety and frailty
I saw you and
you saw me—
your eyes spoke what
your scarlet mouth couldn't
and I listened,
your hands trembled
as did I
at the thought of
what they want to
write on my naked body—
solo mia, solo mia.

my love, I think
I flourish in winter,
for when I awoke
a snowflake sunk
into the fullness of
my lips and then
I knew I'd been
kissed by you,
so I smile
as I stand by
the window where for
a small moment of
naivety and frailty
I wallow in my joy,
for I know too
it will last not.

I lost a sense of myself
in the silk of sadness,
sprawled on my bed
of lilies and night-long moans
in lingerie and stockings.

Come look for me.

This darkening heart of mine
desires one dulcet dream only—
to see you dauntless,
throwing your head back,
desperate and divine;

Ah, please—
Come look for me.

And at last when you do,
Ah, my lying love,
like a longing prey for you
I will lament not
the loss of myself,
for I know well
with your lace-like touch
you will lift me
from this silk of sadness
and not only will I become
your little poet, no—
I will be ultimately *pleased.

lord, I ask you—make him good for me,
give him courage; make him mine

and in the meantime, let me dream sweetly
of feverish summers, him and his eyes

please do not deepen my agonies,
do not blacken them

make my agonies of beauty,
silky and sunlit with peonies,
birds singing, my mother laughing

because how will I stand yet another
bad dream about him?

please do not deepen my agonies,
do not blacken them

if you will not give me him, give me beauty
spat out of your mouth, warmed by your hands
I shall love it as if it were a lover

how can I write
when I am curled up
in these unblooming tulip
petals, the sunlight cast out
when I most need it
to pour it over me
and the whiff of
winter in this unmerciful spring

how can I bloom
when this melancholy I carry
flush against the bud
of my heart rips open
my flesh—
my throat dry,
my cheeks tear-stained

it burns black—
god made our
eyes see each
other so my
tender heart could
write

I lace my fingers
with the snowy night
as I rest upon
carmine linen and lilies,
my hand out of
the window,
wet snowflakes caressing this
open palm of mine

with heavens I speak
of slumbering spring and
your name and how
both of you see
my stars, my peonies,
yet you
hide yours from this
open palm of mine

I lace my fingers
with the snowy night,
for I am weary
of you and winter
my hand out of
the window,
wet snowflakes soothing this
open palm of mine

I dream of rivers
and that sparkle of theirs
sleeping upon sunlit waterlilies

my eyes sink into
that shimmering night of mine
and there I see
yours darling as sin
unsure of what to do
unblinking, wishful, gazing into mine

have I darkened them?
that tenderness within them
tell me, was it my doing?

drowsy river droplets kiss
that throat of yours
like I crave to

I dream of rivers
and that singing voice
of theirs lulling me
deeper into my slumber

the sun sets into
that gentle pomegranate color
of your unholy mouth
as you avert your gaze
then turn it back
and you speak about my
stars while you think
I am aware not
of it but I turn
in my sleep and
I shine brighter than
your foolish infatuation and
my eyes sink deeper
into the night of mine

I am a river
and that gaze of yours
will not halt my flow

I crave to sing
in that forest of your
heart but then sweetly
I remember mine is starlit

I dream of your smile
upon my throat.

I dream of wine
trickling,
and you
kissing it.

I wake,
light-headed.

the rain sighs and weeps
and behind our back
a song of woe she sings.
you touch my lips,
your own fallen agape,
and here—
within the shadows of your palm
into our own kingdom I breathe life.

under your gaze,
as the light spills like silk,
I come undone,
your hand, godlike, caressing
each and every curve of mine
your mouth commanded.

under your gaze,
ever so slowly,
I become divine,
your palm, godlike, ceasing
as you hear my body sing,
your mouth, silent.