"Temporary" by Kit Isherwood

while damp and sticky I’d watch you make yourself

comfortable lining my side head on my chest

fingers at play with the hair stroking each in its turn

as though each deserved a tenderness it is rare to see this side

of anyone rare for anyone to stay

after the act even rarer for them to come again

weeks later odd messages of day-to-day

workloads and wants for the weather

to change smile emojis and how are you doing

todays I was almost a landslide

fumbled footing of words

tripping out on the tongue edge so often

I end up dragging my voice back reminding it not

to wander teaching it the dangers of temporary homes

A word from the author: The poem explores intimacy and the want to be a part of something, while fearing what that means.

Dale Booton (he/him) is a twenty-six year old queer poet from Birmingham. His poetry has been published in various places, such as Verve, Young Poets Network, Ligeia, Queerlings, Fahmidan, Tealight Press, Dreich, Spelt, Acid Bath Publishing, and Muswell Press. He is currently working on his first pamphlet. Twitter: @BootsPoetry