Two Poems by Ayana Edwards

SATURDAY

When the sun sets between the spread fingers of a palm tree
When I rub cocoa butter into my elbow
in slow languid circles
When my stomach pools as I rest on my side
And I feel your big hands around my waist
Rubbing the fat
I can smell the oil locked into your hair
And pick brown sunshine from underneath your eyes
Some days I find there is just enough light there
to make the sun consider staying a little while longer
just to watch us.

It is in these moments,
I almost think I can control time
but then I am reminded
the rice is boiling
and the car note is due next week
and the clothes have been sitting in the dryer
And it is time to get up
Time to get up

GONE

She left behind the scent of cinnamon
And baby powder
And two pairs of panties
And a pregnancy test
And half a pack of cigarettes
And the keys to his apartment
and in him
a feeling of regret so deep
it would swallow him whole
for the full two and one half weeks
it would take
to get over her

—
© Ayana Edwards