One Last Wish for Warmer Kisses | Basie Allen

One Last Wish for​​ Warmer Kisses

thick​​ in the​​ middle​​ of​​ winters​​ outloud​​ “fuck!”​​ 

when​​ February’s lisp forthed​​ us​​ all​​ indoors ​​ 

​​ 

LoLo​​ sweatered around the wood-burning stove

waiting for​​ fire​​ to body her down​​ 

she taped​​ “April”​​ to​​ the chimney​​ 

trading​​ apples​​ for​​ embers

trading heat for heat

the floor boards​​ warmed

so she​​ thumbtacked​​ “May”​​ 

to her​​ steel-toe​​ boots

turning wool socks to wool sand

letting toes rummmmmage​​ loosely​​ 

grainy coast​​ 

whale likely​​ 

when the​​ room​​ felt (wool)​​ nice​​ enough to sigh

she​​ stuck​​ “June” to her glasses

and thought about​​ Marcus

she let the​​ house​​ meadow​​ over her chest

blouse—​​ into​​ empty Oregon​​ yellow

she​​ let​​ the​​ rent​​ rot​​ 

under​​ blue-faced​​ forget-me-nots

let​​ the​​ bean-full jars

soaking on​​ the​​ counter​​ 

turn back to​​ vine

Scarlett​​ Runner

a​​ blood worthy​​ 

(pre-green)​​ embarrassing red

the curtains​​ slid into​​ potato vine​​ bloom​​ 

the laundry​​ pile—​​ into​​ ponds

the sound of Grant Green​​ 

she​​ zipppppered​​ her​​ fingers​​ behind her​​ hair​​ 

like a​​ re-wheat-pasted​​ poster—

looked up into dry​​ wall

now sky wet with​​ 26​​ stars

smiled​​ so grateful​​ to have it all​​ 

with​​ one last wish for​​ warmer​​ kisses

she​​ glued​​ “July”​​ to the​​ memory​​ of his lips

unbuttoned her shirt

and​​ fell asleep​​ in​​ the​​ summer​​ knew​​ heat​​ 

of​​ them kissing​​ disappearing

under moons​​ Manhattan​​ accent​​