Delilah of Damnus IV
By Tod McCoy
Love comes calling like an unwanted salesman
all straight teeth good smells
hunger wrapped in jasmine.
Ten planets away she stares at me files her teeth
dresses smiles
packs her bags boards the ship
I’m coming for you. Again.
I smell starline fuel for days before she arrives; I hear
wet footsteps in the patio just after dawn
taste her perfume feel
her odor around my chest like arms at midnight.
She calls herself Delilah of Damnus IV,
and an evil grin darkens her face.
It is a smile. There is nothing evil about her.
Except her smile.
She moves faster at the scent of chocolate
than a shark smelling blood. Laughs at the dangers
of deep space travel.
You needn’t be so strange, stranger, she says.
Familiarity does not diminish with distance only time.
Why then the utter fear of the approaching speed of light?
The need for touch the repel of attraction
Here she comes again Delilah of Damnus IV
We are hot as the space we fold between us,
halving and halving again until
frustrated I darken shake my head
we’re asymptotes, I say.
Please she says let’s keep tending
to infinity.
I can only wait as the universe rushes in to meet me.
For a little while, there will be harmony peace
skylines outlined with reverence expecting so much,
sighing when they see so little.
Love until we can no longer stand each other
and she departs.
We used to play a game, saying me amas todavía
To see if the words caught up to each other
and put themselves in order before she arrived.
They never did.
The ship tires nearing its destination
takes shorter steps breathes heavier
sits with a groan leans back to rest.
she deships grins
Smiles darkens looks down
Looks up. Speaks my name.
I am sold. Again.
