Love Poem

.

I wasted a poem on you

It was a baring love piece

One of my best, so I thought

.

Single red rose

Drooping in cracked vase

Under bare-bulb’s glare

On worn Formica table

Perfectly off-center

Wadded up napkin stop it rocking

.

Risked my pounding heart

My only gift of value

Exposed for you to hold

Immerse yourself in scarlet passion.

Admire it, caress it, keep it

In awed, astounded pleasure

.

Sorry I made you laugh

Between bites of cold, carryout Szechwan

Washed down with cheap, warm rosé

Never claimed riches, refined taste

Just a hope you’d understand

My tears, my fears, my whys…

.

Soft junkie’s whimpers dying for a fix

That’ll arrive far too late to stop the pain

Ended as quickly as her lingering scent

Barrel, carefully polished for this

Eventual singularity, momentary kiss

Erupted in impersonal oral orgasm

.

Slid from hard-backed wooden chair,

Slumped on graying linoleum

Fresh red paint, color of dying petals.