I Have No Desire to Go to Another Andy Warhol Exhibition
Standing beside you
I do not want to plunge
my tongue into your throat:
a dagger and a rose.
And I do not
want to dig my nails
into your flesh:
a sword and a mattress.
And I do not want to dig
my teeth into your neck and
I have no desire to go to another Andy Warhol exhibition,
even though I say I do just to accompany you.
All I want is to press my impatient mouth unto yours
not because you mean anything
other than a soft mess
I manifest your sad penis
hidden inside your black jacket, and I realise
You are only beautiful by accident.
Cherries & Baileys
When I pick cherries
I pop them in my mouth
like pills. Their flesh, sweet and raw
bursts like a wound. Will I
choke on the stones or
will I keep my health,
my life, my ignoble interests?
When you pour Baileys in my
throat, I purr; I want to beg for more
but it hurts to ask, to even
make a request. Perhaps, I am
ashamed of my thirst and hunger
for your selfish flesh
rebellious yet clueless, like a schoolboy.
Oh, I know I love the sickly sweet taste
of your kisses: cherries, cream, and Baileys
but to know myself more is a risk
I can’t afford
________________
Dr Golnoosh Nour is the author of The Ministry of Guidance and Other Stories (2020) and Rocksong (2021) – both shortlisted for the Polari Prize. Golnoosh’s poetry pamphlet Impure Thoughts came out with Verve Poetry Press in 2022. She’s performed her work in literature festivals and events across the UK and internationally. Her work has also been published by Granta, Vintage, and Columbia Journal.
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