Bring the moon closer, darling,

I like to press my face to you,

your sky, and on my toes, stretched

 

to the limits of the veins in my neck,

I feel nothing but the cooling air

picking apart my hair, searching

 

for something sweet. There was

a great temptation to lick the dark

horizon as it changed to reflect

 

the scattering of your engagement

with the evening. I have a vivid

memory of the night ending

 

with my tepid body, giving credit

to your resistance. I remember

you fell asleep naked, without review.

Darren C. Demaree is living in Columbus, Ohio with his wife and children. He is the author of As We Refer to Our Bodies (2013) and Not For Art Nor Prayer (2014), both forthcoming from 8th House Publishing. He is the recipient of two Pushcart Prize nominations and a Best of the Net Nomination.