<\/p>\n
We were born in the era
\nof having to balance
\nour checkbooks<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
& we\u2019ve lived
\nthrough that to the time
\nof tracking transactions
\nwith handheld computers<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
which are also telephones
\nwe only use when we must
\nthough I\u2019ll confess<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
when you were overseas
\nI\u2019d call your voicemail
\njust to hear you
\nsay your own name<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
which is my first favorite music.
\nSecond is your keys
\ndancing in the deadbolt
\nwhen you get home from work<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
& third, the sound of your laugh
\non the other side of a wall.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
You mumble in your sleep
\n& do vocal warm-ups in the shower
\n& eat cereal in bed yes<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
this is the age of eating in bed
\nwhile watching the best television
\non tiny screens, this is the era<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
of falling asleep in our clothes
\nwith the light on holding
\neach other, this is the year
\nof staying home & mumbling<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
sweetly to each other locking
\nfingers & inventing novel
\nways of expressing our feelings
\nwithout words for example<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
there\u2019s the metallic
\npercussion when I tug
\napart your zipper<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
in the doorway by the bucket
\nwhere we keep our outdoor shoes,
\nthere\u2019s the creak of floorboards
\nas I kneel, there\u2019s the quiet rabbit
\nof your hand in mine.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Even when we\u2019re miles apart
\nmy body is a playlist streaming
\nto yours, my ankles & beard
\n& earlobes & forearms & belly button<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
& every hair, all of my pink
\nskin, I\u2019m an afternoon of song
\narranged in this specific order
\nfor you. Dance to me, wash<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
dishes to me, sing along to me folding
\nlaundry, read a play
\nwith me on in the background
\ntake me with you on your long commute,
\ndark of my voice in your headphones.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
John Paul Davis We were born in the era of having to balance our checkbooks & we\u2019ve lived through that to the time of tracking transactions with handheld computers which are also telephones we only use when we must though I\u2019ll confess when you were overseas I\u2019d call your voicemail just […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":8141,"template":"","categories":[9,49,119],"tags":[889,6,1953,1927,201],"class_list":["post-8139","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aquifer","category-literary-features","category-poetry","tag-aquifer","tag-aquifer-the-florida-review-online","tag-john-paul-davis","tag-poem","tag-poetry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n