HER WOODEN KISS

          after Evie Shockley



by Hyunjin Cheo



sometimes i miss her, the dreamer

          with the wooden kiss on her neck,

relentless, unapologetic, the

          calluses on her fingertips

that went tap, tap, tap



          against the world. i miss

the way she walked, leaned to the side

          so that the violin wouldn't hit

her knee. right, left, right, left,

          always beating to two-four



but humming to Sibelius

          under her breath. i miss her

long hair, the way she threw it

          back over her shoulder and

lifted her chin, the way the



          violin rested on her collar

like a bird in a nest;

          the albatross that always

finds its way home. all

          so natural, hours and hours



a day, the way she sang with

          the bow, the way she sang

without words, the way it all

          used to bring her joy.

but i am not that dreamer



          anymore. she is gone,

long gone, she was gone

          since she held her breath

so that she wouldn't scream

          while he went in, out, in, out,



always beating to two-four.





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