The peaches on the kitchen counter
are bruising. The bananas
hanging from the fruit rack
next to the wrinkling mango are bruising.
On our first night together
I am bruising but nothing
is getting eaten but me.
Love bites of passion
your body demanding
its darkness merge into my own
marks left by your soft lips still
have yet to disappear
my body’s desire
keeping you closer, longer.
Britny Cordera (bee) is a queer, creole, nonbinary Cave Canem poet, writer, teacher, and artist based in Oklahoma City. They received their MFA from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Cordera’s work can be found or is forthcoming from Purple Ink Press, Driftwood Press, Obsidian, Rhino, Narrative, Pank, Xavier Review, and other places. When they are not writing poetry or teaching, they love skating and watching anime in their free time.