the lipstick on his collar.

pressing perfume

deep into décolletage

like high heels on 

office tile

blinking sensual alerts of

power needs

corner offices

pay distribution 

how we ache, long

to be smelt, tasted 

red wine 

on fervent lips 

yet when we 

ask you to stop—!

“biologically 

desirable”

projected into

the hierarchy

flaming hot we’re

screaming power quests of toxic masculinity and

in the back of our mouths

whispering helpless legalities like

twisting tensions

around our 

bodies, into

our wombs 

red lipstick 

on your

shirt collar

still pays the bills 

too often 

you.

the thing with you

is i didn’t

see it coming 

i felt it 

shy, eager 

on my fingertips 

clinging 

snow-like to my

lips

the melting

slow,

cautious in its

warmth 

you built 

into me

dark and purple 

rosemary 

promises

wafting 

heady 

did you know

your lip

curves up a little

on the left 

leave it like that i like it there 

a question

there’s a 

forehead wrinkle thin

line

between feeling 

needy 

and needed 

sometimes i am so

enveloped by you

your softness greets

me in a way

previously unknown 

other times i

step back on

shells

crunching under

me like

an emptiness 

i’ve yet to catch

but when i do

i think i’ll call

it indigo 

i want to take your hands

in mine and ask

if i am dazzling to you

if i dazzle you

do i make you 

smile to yourself

when you are alone 

because 

when you say

i love you

i believe it but

are you so very in love with me you just can’t

help yourself 

or is it a love like

a small shrug

that kind of love

has haunted me

more than i’d like and

it always scars

deeper than it

stays sharp 

so hear me when i ask 

is this the kind of love that lasts

are you deeply in love or

just checking

off

a

box 

on your list of to dos

pebbles

i’m watching 

your mouth

pebbles 

plinking

out

trickling over

your

soft pink lips

spilling 

onto your lap

over your 

hands held

open

like 

why 

why 

can 

you

not

be

what

i

need

plinking 

gravel

onto me

onto the ground

clunking 

heavy 

hard 

echoing 

plaintively 

and me 

with my 

hands on my

face

holding 

me 

holding it

all

back 

in

pour

you
drew me

oil
to
water

on in over

beneath
beside
between

slipping
smoothing
sweet

bubbling
complete

stretched
time slow

equal parts

shine

obligatory

i am getting better

at saying goodbye 

although small things 

the way the black

fence curves into

itself

still make me cry

the taste of your

lips on

my cheek

breath 

weed heavy

haunts me 

pressing

fresh unknown 

foot prints

on the carpet 

leading somewhere 

leaving scorched 

finger callings

scraped

charcoal heavy 

across the glass

the desire to 

escape this world

but only 

once it 

knows me

surely we've lived here before

i should
have
said
it
before
now
but you
know
i think
too much
you
know
you
think
too
much
too

so let’s
stretch
it simple it
was like
butter
on the counter

i didn’t even
notice it
melting
until i
picked it up
and it
puddled
in my hand

surprise
isn’t the right
word
more
like
intoxication

your whiskey stare
drowns me
whispers hot
in my belly
champagne
blushing
my cheeks
so
when i tell
you
it will
be too slurred

it will read like

goodnight
kisses
lingering
too
long

it will play like

shy fingers
brushing through
your hair

i should
have said
it before
now

now
you must
already
know