I take myself on dates
by Grace Burks
I take myself on dates and go on
winding strolls through hoods
and parks and in these parks let
soles of feet drench selves in
blades of collards kale and chards
and splash mouth with crisp and
exhaust muscles until stiffen into
form and stay until dawn to
compile thoughts and dream
upon futures and take protracted
breaks to deeply gaze over at
reflections of singlebodied and
competing relations that have
transpired over two but have only
begun in one and it is not that
had been lost or left but it was
time apart because how sweet it
is to be alone and wade in icy
southern tea and swim in solitude
hum dipping naping beaks in
sweet nectar and glide along
tension a water bug because
always tension but is why take on
and model time and ardor shroud
and so I take myself on dates.