It’s a look
Cast off as
A glance that
Lingers a moment
Too long it’s
A joke that
Catches you off
Guard and the
Laughter erupts after
A few seconds
Of thinking it’s
A smile that
Is broader than
The biggest sloppy
Cheeseburger and that
One evidently embarrassing
Snort of giggling
That is freshness
Life’s little miracle
As storms pass
And lightening sparks
Like flashlights in
Dark forests thunder
Booms like hammers
On bass drums
And then there
In the aftermath
Of nature’s artillery
Comes the sweet
Sullen rain pattering
On pavement bouncing
Like little acrobats
And if you
Listen very closely
You can even
Hear a weeeeeeee
You know that
You’re over it
Finally when all
Those special things
Become normal things
Once again like
Cleaning a chalkboard
Allowing now new
Normal things to
Become special things
With someone else
When you approach
And foreheads touch
The beads of
Breathy humidity hangs
Like tiny clouds
Plump with rains’
Longing and desire
And right before
Our lips touch
I whisper into
Your open mouth
Kiss me like
You mean it
My sweet Bradley
Take your heart
From your sleeve
And tuck it
Away back in
Your chest saving
And keeping it
Safe for another
It’s difficult to
Unpin hearts from
Sleeves but hearts
On sleeves prompt
The feeding frenzies
Of desperate carnivores
Hunting the weak
Squirrel it away
Keep it safely
And let those
Hungry for anyone
Starve to death
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 