Carnal Rhythm
by Nora Loney
the best gift is a beating heart
both your own and one to eat
this is Joy, exalted in the bittersweet
the opposite result of un-pleasant desire
eat, spit, sip, twist the grapevine—here
drink—sweet nectar of our labors
our embrace would be that of lovers
if not for the knives we trace
across each other’s backs
sweat stuck to me
like strawberries on my tongue
You are the same side of the coin
You are a mirror that only looks out
You are the end
and the beginning
a full unbroken circle
so long as we are stained in blood-wine
wood splinters soaking our fingers
I would bury the world for You
to see the feral smile on your mouth
flesh meeting flesh— the delicious tremble
of another kill.
About the Author
Nora Loney is a Senior from Puyallup, Washington who will earn a degree in both Political Science (Pre-Law) and Creative Writing (plus a minor in French) in May of 2020. The inspiration for her poetry comes from a lot of time spent reading and an over-active imagination. She hopes to work in an editorial position or something related to the legal field after graduation. Either way, she intends to continue writing and hopes to keep getting published in the future.