By the sun flooded window
a single rose opens like a hand
secrets that we carry like
bombs, detonate
shrapnel finds a home in our
hearts
bruised ribs break like the stem of a flower
in the hands of an impatient child
we walk knowingly into the ocean, collecting water in
our cupped hands. Letting it trickle away from us back into
the sea. We are part of a cycle now, in one simple, selfish act
we take life into our mouths when we kiss
twisting it between our teeth, tonguing it like an ulcer
wet, red lips that beg without
begging
a single rock can start an avalanche and we are
many. Heavy footed in the snow, we take death
into our mouths when we kiss, bite down hard into its
flesh. A peach that sits comfortably in a hand
ripe and ready before rotting. How do we know it's death
we're tasting? When the buds of life remain
unopened