Red Beans

I kissed him

On the mouth.

He was a brown-haired Mexican man

With a great wide stomach and eyes the color of

A fine cigar. And great flat hands like plains of land, with

Square fingertips that spoke measures on mine.

It was cold, but he

Never dared put an arm

Around my rigid frame.

And his head

Was damp with sweat.

He was sweet in his

Own way-

So bursting with the most

Obvious feelings.

So softly feeling subtext

Slip through his fingers

(beans in grains of rice)

And I kissed his small mouth-

Surprisingly small

For a man his size-

And I knew he wanted to

Take me to bed,

But I didn’t.