John Casquarelli—Nectar

for Jill

We met in a parallel universe or in a dream, dream,

walked near a riverbank, spoke in fragments. fragments.

This is how I recall our story. Two sunflowers brought brought

together by the sunrise. You whispered to me, me,

“taro leaves and sugarcane make a great combination.” Glimpses to to

emphasize moments often overlooked in maddening hours, where wherehere

we occasionally pause between drumbeats of trauma. Will you you

recognize me cowering beneath the awning where once I stood stood

confident waiting for your return? F. Scott Fitzgerald claimed smiling smiling

made life worth living. Facial expressions closing great distances. The near near

perfect curve of your mouth is enough to compose the the

morning sonnet under silk sheets. You touch my lips with fresh mulberry mulberry

and I realize that this is the seed for tomorrow’s tree.

 tree.

John Casquarelli

John Casquarelli is the author of two full-length collections: On Equilibrium of Song (Overpass Books, 2011) and Lavender (Authorspress, 2014). He is a Lecturer in Academic Writing at Koç Üniversitesi in Istanbul. John received his M.F.A. in Creative Writing at Long Islang University—Brooklyn. His poems have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including Teaching as a Human Experience (Cambridge Scholars Publishing), Pen Norway İlhan Sami Çomak Project, Pilgrimage Magazine, Suisun Valley Review, Expound Magazine, Artifact Nouveau, New Mexico Review, Peacock Journal, Marathon Literary Review, Black Earth Institute, River River, Panoply, International Human Rights Arts Festival, and Boarder Senses.