Tongue

Pithy, pink hunk

of muscle and spit;

sphynx to my throat,

to my lover.

[lengua, n.

1. tongue or

2. language

so to speak two languages, I suppose,

is like having two tongues

so to speak.]

And I’m a mummy’s boy;

I’m cradled by my mother

tongue. Only now I’m trying

to force my way into another

and find myself

 bashing against the teeth.

Father,

I stumble in my walk.

(Call me tongue-tied.)

For example,

does my mother know

I’m tongue-kissing boys now?

That “sorry” hangs always on the tip of

my tongue –

(can you taste it?)

Later,

gnashing at prayer,

apologies sweat off my tongue –

an interdental repentance –

where my lips part

and syllables spill through.

You see that’s why

(what I’m trying to say)

I didn’t mean to say

“I love you”.

Sometimes I think

I think with

my tongue.