Cheryl Townsend

 

DAISY

I want to petal a rose in the image of you
turn wood to trees
trees to the stairs of your heaven
heaven to a vision of your spirit
your spirit in the protection of my world

I want to love you like ice water as it quenches
the thirsty tongues of salted bacon strips
love you so hard my race means nothing
food but an obstruction in my stomach
water, a meaningless wet thing
a wet thing that drowns me
deeper and deeper in the depths of your love

I want to love you like a knockout punch
beating me senseless
smacking my lips up with the passion
of your outrageous kisses
love you so hard the stars are no longer infinite
but as countable as fingers
love you like I'm nine months old again
scribbling nonsense
dribbling at the sight of you
googoofied baby talk
words escaping me

Love you like the coded scars of fingerprints
like the pretentious gaze of street fashion
like the suntanned beds of coffee stains
like the drunken haze of cigar smoke
like the expressionist armour of fish scale

Love you like this life is a time wasting exercise
like poetry hasn't a clue about anyone
or anything worth saving

I want to love you and keep on loving you
because that's what loving is about Baby.

Ronnie McGrath