shanghai

first the grape juice

then the ginger

tease

you kissin' my soldier shoulders

warm compress

surrendering to winches

freeze

I am quilting your wrists

my apprehended temptress

---

snare those arms

to hold you up

hold still

unfocused lenses

croak robin's egg blue

& my body believes 

in every word

you wore to grooves

an oaken shield

now splintered liturgies

they are deafening

they tell of your perfume