the jewelled hands. a finger each /
peel the skin and let her blood
meet the air. this is
unbecoming of a lady / she says i will
never marry; her mouth curves
around her
laugh, beckoning. taunting /
if you keep going ; lover
i'll be yours
always / and he drinks her in. consumption / consummation / salt and iron and lust. how have they lived
so long
he wonders, inside her, on her, in himself,
how could they breathe
without it ?

maybe i did something wrong or maybe it isn't about me at all
but i just didn't want to lose you this time. you, my maybe.
you, my almost.

here - take. have it
in your hands. does it smell
like fear
or the absence of noise? does it think
like you or does it do things you never wanted? does it make you gasp
and shiver? do you dream of it in the night and
does it make you believe in things like smiling
when you should be begging forgiveness and kissing in the pew and the rose garden / heavy wrinkled hands
prying back the curtain to
watch them go at it by the bus stop?

if so.

    this is love. hold it close and tight and real gentle. like you’d touch a star ;
unbelieving. that the light doesn’t burn you flesh through to bone
but sinks in, grateful
for a home.

queer, beloved | talia b. ; @raggedhearts