Ink

By Zoha Jabbar

I want to ink my words onto your skin,
trace it first with my fingers,
then my tongue,
tasting the poetry.
Perhaps the words will penetrate
the surface and sink in
to be printed onto your very core.
I want you to feel the truth
in every stroke of my pen,
to know that every curve of each letter
has been drawn in earnest.
My thoughts don't sound right
when spoken out loud,
I stutter and pause and am
at a loss for words;
but written down they mirror
that which is deep within me.
I want you to see that side of me,
and not mistake my pauses
for hesitation or uncertainty.
The love I feel has a clarity
that you cannot possibly imagine,
for not even in the
deepest recesses of your mind
have you begun to comprehend
its depth.
I express myself best with ink,
and so I will ink my words onto your skin.
I will imprint my desires
and passions onto flesh.
Then I will write you a poem in kisses
that reflects the joy you bring me.