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Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Philip B. Williams

 Do-rag 

O darling, the moon did not disrobe you.
You fell asleep that way, nude
and capsized by our wine, our Bump

‘n’ Grind shenanigans. Blame it
on whatever you like; my bed welcomes 
whomever you decide to be: thug-

mistress, poinsettia, John Doe 
in the alcove of my dreams. You
can quote verbatim an entire album

of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
with your ass in the air. There’s nothing
wrong with that. They mince syllables

as you call me yours. You don’t 
like me but still invite me to your home
when your homies aren’t near

enough to hear us crash into each other 
like hours. Some men have killed 
their lovers because they loved them

so much in secret that the secret kept 
coming out: wife gouging her husband 
with suspicion, churches sneering

when an usher enters. Never mind that.
The sickle moon turns the sky into 
a man’s mouth slapped sideways 

to keep him from spilling what no one would
understand: you call me God when it 
gets good though I do not exist to you 

outside this room. Be yourself or no one else 
here. Your do-rag is camouflage-patterned 
and stuffed into my moUTH

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