Phone Friend

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your raspy voice, borne of smoking, holds a particular heat only
the planet mercury possesses deep in its
red rocky belly and keeps it a torrid secret
your racy words are magic butterflies
sweet and tough
each syllable becoming often an incantation
swallowing what i think may possibly be
my entire world
i have not seen you
you are as an invisible shadow, a piece
of music that haunts me and i cannot recall
the composer
i have not known you, i have not eaten with
you, i have not imbibed with you like rainbows
drinking in human stares
nor can i publicly profess my love or stand in
a warm wind on a rooftop and say in vociferous tones,
"i want her."
but i have felt you, i have felt your presence
and this feeling is like a hot new skin
on my fragile bones
i am undermined
i am overtaken
i am vanquished
but beautifully so


© Lamont Palmer

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