Willy Palomo
Mamoncillo
Because once the skin
is split, it is impossible
to deny the resemblance:
a glisten only won
hidden in humid sweat,
the golden glow
of ripe flesh, the pulp
punctuated right
where my tongue
first landed as a child,
swirling it slick
between my lips,
sucking so hard I almost
choked on the seed,
the pulp punctured
right where my tongue
first landed on you,
the dulcet tip of your desire,
struck by how your warmth
numbed my lips,
the way your nip split
me open until nothing
but glimmer and pit
remained.
Mamoncillo
Because once the skin
is split, it is impossible
to deny the resemblance:
a glisten only won
hidden in humid sweat,
the golden glow
of ripe flesh, the pulp
punctuated right
where my tongue
first landed as a child,
swirling it slick
between my lips,
sucking so hard I almost
choked on the seed,
the pulp punctured
right where my tongue
first landed on you,
the dulcet tip of your desire,
struck by how your warmth
numbed my lips,
the way your nip split
me open until nothing
but glimmer and pit
remained.
Willy Palomo is the son of two immigrants from El Salvador. He is a McNair Scholar, Macondista, and a Frost Place Latin@ Scholar. He has performed his poetry (inter)nationally at the National Poetry Slam, CUPSI, and V Festival Internacional de Poesía Amada Libertad in El Salvador. His book reviews and creative writing have been featured in Best New Poets 2018, Latino Rebels, Button Poetry, PBS, The Wandering Song: Central American Writing in the United States, and more. His first collection of poetry is forthcoming from Black Lawrence Press in 2020. Follow him @palomopoemas and www.palomopoemas.com.