Black Cherry Blossom Tattoo
half made up, all the way crazy, shirt undone
and a hairband for a husband, this bedrock
to the lake’s slippery as hell, love is a one
way street back in town and it is a slick path
down to the water, spring is no lover but
it comes quick and that’s how she wants it,
she’s got a black cherry blossom tattoo on
her back, the way she breathes is black as
bark, very thick, choked with new leaves
and ready for more, white blossom there’s
an old white blossom in her eyes, the lake
glows dark and is forgiving and yes, she sits
silent and waits, something’s moving down
there, something hungry and moving and wild —
a waterbug, a leaf suspended, the quick leap