by Keiko Shibata

 

to kiss or not to kiss

my lover and I engage,

our lips and tongue

attitude

a homegrown spice,

the saliva of attentive words

a potential precursor,

as the food we eat

and liquid we drink,

and in my searchings

have kissed politicians, lawyers,

doctors, authors, teachers

and a musician now and then

and found words tasted better,

when sparse and fluid

even in song

each syllable dripping

from the other’s mouth

my lover’s wet kisses

brushes of texture hues

a portrait emerges

on the heart’s canvas

an intimacy embraced.