and these are lips
By Thabile Makue
sweet sour falls simpler into the mouth
remains behind the teeth
where only sweetness
may be remembered
may burrow cavity
may swallow you
from the inside
of your own mouth
may pour honey over
all the absences
may coat cinnamon over
all the abscesses
may grow too big
may throw you out
may replace all the things you know
with sugar
may make empty
sugar
lonely could rot your teeth
lost love may make you sick
these are lips
and these are names
Copyright Credit: Thabile Makue, "and these are lips" from ‘mamaseko. Copyright © 2020 by Thabile Makue. Reprinted by permission of University of Nebraska Press.
Source: 'mamaseko (University of Nebraska Press, 2020)