the ghost of the tilt-a-whirl

remember, can you
the sparkling desert carnival
where the evening stars bloomed in the sky
like the cactus
after the rain

we walked together, sharing a beer
with the cool of the evening rubbing against us
begging the question
of friction

then
hands clasp
we ran across the dryness
scattering integument
until we reached the naked truth

plunging into and through one another

secret oasis

stay with me in the desert tonight, my body a nest of stars
and show me
nodes

i trace the letters of the name of another woman across your chest
above your heart
and i say:

who is she
the woman you gave your heart to
i want to know
i can handle it
but
you shake your head tapping the other side

as i press ear and cheek to you
i sink
into the sound of the sea