rival

memories of first love

for me will always be

the clackity clack of

the keys of my old montgomery

ward typewriter behind closed

doors as i made my first poems

with my self-taught hunt

and peck technique like

the inexperienced teen

discovering i’m all thumbs

when my lover finally

surrendered her bra snap

for the first time on a

saturday night at the drive-in

we practiced a lot

now it’s the soft tap of computer

keyboard and bright graphics

alluring glow in the dark as

fingers glide over sleek thin

metal and caress plastic frame

while processor chips allow

me to copy and paste

edit and revise

in various positions

these days my poems

are cool like smoking

used to be

so when my girlfriend says

“you’re always on the

fucking computer. what

about me?” i know she

doesn’t get it

they never do

when you make

the poet choose

be ready to lose

climate change... for Natalia

i was born during

the month of december

i know cold and lonely

i don’t like them

but i know them well

they toughened me up

slapped me around when

i was a kid and taught me

that winter darkness is my friend

the only beauty in my life

i can depend on are the

bright stars strewn across

a frigid sky like a cruel

necklace of ice

the promises of others are words

that fall out of midair

shatter on the sidewalk

like frozen glass

the chill of an arctic kiss

caressing my bones has made

me cry myself to sleep too

many times to count

but today you leaned close

and i melted like butter

as my icy world turned into

a steamy puddle when

you took my hand

and placed it between your

legs where i rubbed denin

until it got hot and damp

the purr in your throat

came from a deep dark place

now you are gone

i keep running my hand

over the fabric of the love seat

where you were sitting

tracing the heat of your hips

and the imprint of your ass

while i close my eyes

still tasting you

on my lips

you welcomed me into

the inferno of your desire

turned my world into

this raging firestorm

now i gladly walk

through the flames

calling your name