Forever Wine

Illustration by Fariza Bozhaeva

The birds round the basket 

I hide my heat bubbles with lips in my mouth 

I’ll play the impossible song on my lute 

And learn to dance in close to the chest beat 

The birds stomp the grapes

The others get buzzed in the mason jars 

The critters come with their things

Even police dogs have toys 

It belongs to my youth 

The bubble solutions slipping out 

It burns on those crows feet

Should I swallow or let it out?

Black cat

Your legs like the shadow of a ballerina

Leaning into the vulnerable submersion of joy 

She falls and sinks in the wine 

The turmoil is natural

But swift she sinks 

Into the release of exhaling and let’s go

The wine of youth sips better with time 

And forever I fill my cup