milking poetry for a date

milking poetry for a date

acoustic daydream
whiskey reminiscences, the peasant perfume
of my mother’s cooking by my hand,
the stubbornness
of my father’s work-weathered shoulders,
the bleary-eyed smile
i’ll give you in the mornings
when we wake, tears
in our cups, laughter like floods
and the blossoming rarity
of days like love poems

these, the meager handfuls
of rice
i have
to offer at your feet.

the memories of ashes
and cigarette burns,
a b-boy crew-boy’s arrogantly transient
stances, a romantic’s wandering
pen, the faded tattoos
of scars across the surfaces of my skin,
the way i’ll shatter your heart, accidentally,
without ever meaning to

these things, the bitter salt
of tears you’ve not yet cried
the burn of passion-anger
you’ve not yet tasted, these
the burdens you’ll have to hold
for me.

now you know me,
the callousness of mountains
and lines of rivers dug
unto my palms
so, baby girl, let me ask you
will you, would you
please

give me your number?