calling for gentleness now
is a hitchhike to the desert-
there ain't no way-
sweet knows its place
and the damned slot it in
round in square, full
slough it off.
a joke now might be nice
or off-color, so what?
last night maybe
it could have been right.
now just rip it off.
I had a lover once
but lovers tarry, turn
to bulls taken by horn.
copyright Cristina T. Cheng
