Mango


You

showed me the mango,
(stolen). I showed you

the bone-handled
knife,

also
stolen, sharpened on
(my father's)
                    whet-
                                       stone, also

(stolen) stolen. The pitted blade

(reminded me --
                    a wing), the

(feather) (the flint, the)
                    blade

slid clean
through smooth, dry skin, through

(sunlight, blinding)
                    flesh and into

seed. We

tore at the incision, we
scooped out flesh
with our teeth and our tongues, we
sucked on the seed, first

(one, and then)
the other, then the one, (then
the other). I

cut my hand, I licked
the blood from your

lips, I sucked
the salt from
your cheek, I sucked

the syrup
from your matted
hair, I licked the syrup

from your

(open,
                    pyrite, haematite)
eyes.





JDP 99/06






Copyright John D Porter © 1999

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