by Gabriel Noel 

loves you more when covered
in the wine-drunk haze of golden hour

pouring coffee is now a metaphor
for waking up still in love

hangs out on the couch untrimmed
and blooming red petals

but like “whatever man” we all
must overgrow the fences at some point

groggy & walking mouthfuls of poppies
back to where you’re still asleep in bed

coughing up blood wondering
where all the body wounds came from

when left so naked what else is there
to do other than bleed out

Gabriel Noel (he/they) is a Pushcart-Prize-nominated poet who received his BA in Theatre Arts and English at Salem State University. His poetry covers themes such as human connection, grief, queer love, and nostalgia. Gabriel lives on the occupied land of Naumkeag (“fishing place”), colloquially known as Salem, Massachusetts, and he likes to spend time with his partner and friends at concerts or karaoke. You can find more of Gabriel’s poetry on Instagram at @peachpitpoetry.