rotten flowers

petals flutter on my lips

would you take these crushed blooms,

curling brown edges

brushing skin to skin.

drop a petal and swallow

ants on my tongue

nectar drip,

you’re trapped in my amber.

pollen stuck in your lip balm

our sticky grainy slide

consuming our pieces.

cradle my thorns,

bloodied fingers, bloodied wrists.

i know something about that.

red on red on honey,

crumple your handfuls.

shower the ground,

trampled and trodden,

mud smears and scratches.

leave my rotten flowers behind.