by Shelly Rodrigue

I had no idea this was
even a thing she says dipping
a flawless manicured hand
into the under-five-dollar
cheese bin, rooting for the
perfect assortment of flavors
for our charcuterie party
at her million dollar house

this is so much fun she says
French and Italian sounding
names dripping natural as
honey from her mouth as
she reads labels a common
tongue can hardly pronounce

I remember how many times
I wooed my wife with random
cheese spreads sliced with
plastic knives we pilfered
from local restaurants

separating every morsel
from the rinds, too poor to let
a crumb fall to waste
yes, so much fun I say

Shelly Rodrigue is a queer poet who was born and raised on the outskirts of New Orleans, LA. She received an MFA from the University of New Orleans. Her poems appear in several journals and anthologies, most recently in Syncopation Literary Journal, Verseve: Butterfly Anthology, Gnashing Teeth Publishing: SEX/X/Y Zine, and Hedge Apple Magazine. When she is not writing, she teaches college English.