Bravo
A wardrobe change in the hallway
then jockstrapped boyfriend like voila!
His hands skipped rehearsal—
awkward backup dancers
that don’t know which lines
to tempt the audience to trace
from the bed. I like the belly he wishes
wouldn’t spill over the elastic,
rise when I catch a hint—wince
restraining his smile—of the voice
telling him he’s ridiculous
for any attempt at appeal.
Not yet poet enough
for the song he deserves,
I busy my hands,
open my mouth in praise.
Lucas Wildner lives in Seattle, where he is repairing his relationships with English and German and... His debut chapbook, Fluency, will be published this summer from Ghost City Press. Forthcoming and recent work can be found at Ghost City Press, Pidgeonholes Magazine, Homology Lit, and elsewhere. On Twitter, sadly: @wucas_lildner.