Oakes

Sip the tinted pill they demand;

Tilt.

Feel your freedom like black-blue sand

Palm it

Squeeze

And see how easily it is overcome.

Make the apologies you wish for.

You are the bigger man

If you believe in forgiveness.

You have a padlocked mouth

Filled with keys

Each named in a number

You somehow know.

The beats of tongue

To temple

Of righteous

To hand-picked by sisters

This is how you were delivered

And I pray you the healing

I know you now need.

I once more embrace you,

My brother.

The morning I was forty-five seconds late to class

With all the majesty

Of your lore

I found myself taken with hair.

The bright crispness of it;

It's impeccable worth.

This pillow of a chest

Is both manmade

And natural

And it smells like a correct answer.

If the morning were any brighter

I would have to lie about it:

The brilliance of your palm

Will always take precedence.