so coffee is a laxative & i am writing this poem on the toilet

in the building two women’s restroom & in the strangest places
i want to tell you the most mundane things                  how this afternoon
our favorite barista added a free extra shot of vanilla to my
coffee with a wink
& a  just because it’s strong doesn’t mean it has to be
hard to drink
& around my straw, I thought            this is what the sharpness of wanting you
tastes like
syrupy
softness of midnight shadow                             in quiet alleys
i finish my own sentences after walking you home
is it too early to say       my smile misses you? my smile’s smile       crescent moony-gazed

your eyes radiant
in the sabbath sun
gossamer sheen
grove christmas tree multichrome

like beesting,
i am afraid of my own swollen heart
i am so afraid for you

Source: Poetry (January/February 2025)