i do not believe in god
but i do believe in poetry
and for me
maybe poetry is prayer
and the universe
is an unwavering ear
in the shape of a god

It was decided
Before we arrived
Shirts off
As we cross the threshold
Our mouths mashing
Our bodies crashing
Tripping on words
And each other’s shoes
Stumbling onto the floor
Rug burn and no regrets
working out
we’re finally working out
On the same page
For each and every sentence
Reading my body
Studying every footnote
Whispering meaning
Between the lines of me
Creating a new structure
Where there was none before
Using your hands
To build me up
As I feel my fingers etch
Works of art
Onto the surface of your skin
What we create here
Will go down in history
As the single greatest moment
Crossing every form of expression

I swallow the pills
but I'm still alive
oh for once will
you just let me die?

I offered my heart
Little by little
Piece by piece
You took it all
After you left
And now I must live heartless

You may not have all of me,
for all I cannot give.

But you can have the part
of me only you know
was hid.

You reached inside my
darkness and gave me back
my light.

You gave to me so easily
and held me through the
night.

You washed away the
doubts I had with every
gentle kiss.

And brought the kind of
passion I never knew I
missed.

You may not have all of me
for all of me I cannot give.

But you can have the part
of me that no one ever did.                                            Jon York   2019

my hand writing isn’t flowing
curving cursive
like a finger teasing down your spine
it’s rough
like the goosebumps
i wish i gave you
i want to decipher the brail on your arms
but i am not bold enough to touch you