“Sasebo Delights” by Harman Uppal
the sealed grip of your fingers
are boastful against mine
we lift palmyra columns, shelf clouds,
deep hums
like cracks of thunder
which echo across the room
they are a preface to shades of pink and purple
i caress blown glass
hot
like amber and round like pomegranates
splotches of sunny bisque
i rise to greet you
like plumes of coral
on the smoking lake we saw
your fingers interlocked with mine
like sasebo islands
each palm forms fists to beat breasted bone
chanting hymns you bellow with giddy sighs
all the while, mine are harpoons
sailing on ruddy whaling boats
the hooks tugging on blubber
we rock back and forth
i sweep the gorge, feeling the ridges of your side
tracing spots where my fingers would fit splayed wide
like leaves and lingering ballet on prickly hills
you’re grabbing everything you can
and I can hear the gulls
tundra geese
flocking
on nesting grounds
Harman Uppal is a struggling twenty-something Sagittarius who spent two years at a Catholic school and another seven at an all boys' private school —completely unrelated to him being queer. He's passionate about the indoors and writing things he thought no one would ever read. He can be found avoiding twitter suspension or trying to save his dying plants.
Twitter: @discoscepter