Picture the red, red skin
Creeping up my arm
and over the
Crest of my shoulders,
Ribbon rivulets
pulling off my chest –
Damn these midwest summers
I pick the skin
Like treebark, or
old wooden floorboards, or
Half-plastic-playhouses
Peel
Peel
Peel
Ouch, Help me with my splinter
Root through
Mom’s cardamom cosmetics
Grab her squeaky creaky tweezers –
Get it out! I can’t look!
Sit me on the couch
Kiss my finger better and
Lean in but
Careful! Gentle, gentle so
Our lava skin doesn’t touch
Let’s lay together
And let our laughter linger and
Echo through every corner and
Crevice of this small entry room
to remind me that, somehow,
I have always known love.
