my sister has fire in her fingertips;
she might burn you, but she swears
she’ll keep you warm at night.
there’s a long list of boys
that she will kiss by the end of October,
**** on her tongue before you even learn their names.
she scars them with her lips licked with flames,
and they catch the heat in their throats
so their hearts won’t burn.
it’s just like grandmother always said
while the water boiled in the kitchen;
hold your own, hold your own, hold your own.