Seasonal Poem: Picking Blackberries

Picking Blackberries
— by Leif–

at first
you pluck
the fattest one
crush it slowly
beneath your tongue
feel the little explosions
of flavor
one-by-one
each little .. berry-let
bursts like
sundappled moment’s condensate
summer still warm
from the still
of wild

then
the next one
maybe a little faster
picked
a growing addiction
popped
careful not to stain the lips
but
still two fingers
one hand
savor each one
then another

but
soon
you pick as you eat
trying to maintain that
steady stream
while
evading the bite
of snaking vines
snapping
back as each berry
breaks the starry calyx free..
then
two-handed
pick & break
pick & break
a rhythm
as naked desire
overcomes aesthetics
simple innocent sensuality
becomes lust
the brambles
an unwanted chaperone
and the juice
the smell
of summer love
on your face
and hands

and suddenly you’re full
and the nectar
once coalesced
as honeyed fruit
spilt
becomes
sunshine
on a hedgerow
once again
Summer fields
inside you
all around
warm on
moist skin
breezy hair
forever
for now