lips, stained red
from cherry sweets—
skin, gently scented
by sunflowers.
fingertips, colored purple
from eating forbidden blueberries—
and it is beautiful.
honeysuckle
and sandalwood
and spring soap;
the scent of the earth after rain.
god said it was good.
but it is dark;
the shadows take on life:
they sucked it out of you.
there is no beauty now—
they tore it out.
i understand why eve ate the apple:
she wanted something more;
something beautiful, perhaps.
