You seduced me on the staircase
as I sucked sweet citrus in the early evening light of midwinter
the juicy tang no match to your tongue on mine
I tasted sugary cookie crumbs in the cracks of your lips, chapped
your breath hot and laced with cocoa
you offered me some, but my belly steamed already
Wool socks scratched against bare skin
rug burns on my back, bruises, little gnawings, clawings
be-carefullings of the uneaten orange beside us, soon forgotten
We slept soundly that night, awoke to fresh snow
sunlight creeping up the stairs, where the ripe orange still glowed
the whole house smelled of it, and of love
and of smoldered ash upon the hearth
Photo by Sadie Whitehead. Words by Teneisha A. Kessler-Emanuel
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