Protecting Identity

Careful touches
So we don’t break
Fevers burning
Sheets twisting
Toes curled
And I’ve decided
I’m never going home

Cautious sessions
In darkened doorways
Parked cars
In farmers fields
Parking lots
And always home
Before the sun came up

Mother you
Cover you
Hold me
Kiss me
Kiss and don’t tell
It’s all secrets
And lies
It’s all touches
And
Twisting
Sessions

Finish up
And save it up
I’ll see you next weekend
At the Charley
I’ll be the girl
With the wink
And the smile

Toes Curled

twist me up and ring me out
like you did that night
beneath those stars
i’m convinced
you are nonchalant
and my toes are curled
at the sight of you

your girlfriend came up
to me at that social
that night
eager for a fight
then later intoxicated
enough
to open her mouth,
spill that she was always
jealous of me
our friendship
and the way we are
together
and
i couldn’t bring myself
to tell her
she had every right to be

that early early dawn i returned
dropped off by another
i found you curled up
in my car and i was so afraid
you’d be jealous
at least i hoped you
would
or be fuming
or be anything
but neutral
or numb

i never wanted a definition
of our relationship
everyone else
was so eager
i don’t feel
i ever got a fair
chance
you bit me off
piece by piece
tried to save me for later
but i wouldn’t keep
and i wouldn’t stay
so disenchanted
so naïve