Peaches & Pears in a Can
for Willem F. Harding

no no no, not X, but Y, but why
but my girlfriend

we were engaged to be married
we still are
how do you reverse that in a week

what if she has left me with cream
to smear onto the head of my penis

an itch, however severe,
can be corrected

what cream is there to smear
onto- rub into the wound
when a heart breaks
when there is a broken heart

what of when
there are two broken hearts

blood pouring from them
in all the wrong places

want her back again
want her back to me

front and back
this way and that

on top of me
on top of her

in intercourse
in love
in Mexico City

Mexican woman
Bahamian man

peaches and pears in a can
to open, to add cream to
the syrup they're in

we used to be so fresh once
exist now only to reflect upon


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2012
8:45 a.m. 06.01.12