Our Antechamber

Within the supple worlds of your giving
I turn away from the red sage of evening

we have both known so well.
The sun has burned us with nimble kisses

but left our skin untouched
outside the nuzzle and pirouette of time.

The delicate chablis of your voice
pours around intricate corners and plum motifs

into a negative dimension
of scorpions and squash blossoms

and in this antechamber,
this suspension of scarlet turning autumn

you’ve helped me to become someone
I could almost love.

Richard King Perkins II is a state-sponsored advocate for residents in long-term care facilities. He lives in Crystal Lake, IL, USA, with his wife, Vickie and daughter, Sage. He is a three-time Pushcart, Best of the Net, and Best of the Web nominee whose work has appeared in more than a thousand publications.