The Language of Honey

By John Poitier Jr.

Her lips pierced mine,

Tasting of buried lavender,

Sweltering beneath the heat of her breath,

She let her wind fill my lungs,

Songs on her tongue, murmured on mine.

I tasted of dirt, 

And sin,

And she loved me anyway.

Her body molded against the grooves of mine,

Each contour finding the missing

Space within my soul,

And I filled the space in between,

The unseen part-

That cried out in the language of honey,

Sickly sweetness, 

Drained into the pit of my stomach.

I could never return this gift, 

And she loved me anyway.

Her mouth remembered each forsaken word, 

Left unsaid, heard in the escaped sighs,

Gentle gasps of the night, 

Filled with the vapor of our cries, 

I wonder why, she keeps

Returning to me,

Around me. 

For I could never love her in this way,

But she loved me anyway. 

About the Author

John Shaquille Poitier Jr., Virginia State University

John Shaquille Poitier Jr. is a Bahamian-born author, poet, and honors biology major at Virginia State University. He is the author of Mangoes in the Summertime, The Birds, and Son of Elohim, blending themes of faith, identity, and mental health. His work bridges science and storytelling, aiming to heal and inspire across disciplines and cultures.