Ode to Girlfriend

my nose has memorized the smell of your hair
sweet honeysuckle and green apple
my lips are still coding your kisses
soft lipped, bite lip
smile all tongue and teeth
my hands are forgetful of your soft skin
so they are excused
to learn every dip and curve of milk bottle body
of renaissance woman muse
lounging and grape fed

please tell me we are lovers
because you hold my hand in a way that says
i am an unexpected ring around you, my saturn
your eyes hidden in plum and nectarine skin when closed
burgundy stained tears and shimmer like
the tingling bubble sweet on your tongue
wine licks and girlish burps

we are not putting on a show
this is for us
this has been building a coal and soot house
since i saw you, cigarette-stained in a zeppelin shirt
hair so rock n roll, flannel so boyfriend and i didn’t want it to be
this has been singing dreams by fleetwood mac
from a pink rooftop sky to some dead mallrats and stale virginia slims

hold me between your two fingers
taste me of american spirit and immigrant song
call me your lover
not just in hushed tones and hotel sheets
but in laughing spells and feel notes

you are everything i have never asked for
because i did not deserve
now i know there is a god
and she may have favored me now

Jenna Velez is an emerging queer poet of color from suburban Philly. She has two microchaps forthcoming THE WHORE MADONNA LEADS THE BLACK MASS (Maverick Duck Press, 2019) and BLOODY SPIRIT AND BATHROOM RITUAL (Bone & Ink Press, 2020). She tweets @northernbruja and can be found at jennavelez.weebly.com.