if you were to
tuck a poppy in the space
between your front teeth and upper lip,
not only would you taste the red,
but you would feel it
as it weaves between your teeth, down
your throat
and into your bloodstream

and when you kiss the freckled neck
of the red-headed boy who loves you,
the moon’s cheeks might turn rosy
because he saw
but he’ll keep your secrets safe
because of all the times you saw him
kiss the earth
when he thought no one was looking

then, when you are no longer under the ­poppy’s trance
and the boy who loves you has gone,
you’ll wonder why the moon is so
extremely far away
and empathize with the earth as she cries ­under you
because her lover only loves her sometimes