road to perdition

she was heat bound by curves

her weight
as she straddled me
played a cruel trick
of balance

naked thighs pressed
along my own
– poised –
almost elegant
except for the healthy
(fucking)
expression: closed eyes,
a smile between parted lips,
all sharp teeth and pink tongue

your breasts,
I thought

let me taste them.

and then
she lowered hips
and I stopped thinking
altogether.

the smallest star

My nephew just had his first birthday.

Last week I stood on the balcony of a beach house with my nephew in my arms, his small fingers wrapped around the slender silver chain around my neck.

I rested my head against his and was startled by just how blue his eyes were.

I began to count back the seconds, minutes, and days, trying to remember a time before the inertia of life had carried me past the point of owning such beautiful potential, when the grace of innocence allowed uncompromised belief.

I couldn’t remember that far back.