the periphery between passion and empathy

becomes compulsory liaison, 

as chilled black coffee slips over silent tongues,

glistening queens and knights revolve around chessboard in sweeping

circles with avaricious stares. 

lustful glances through half-moon-eyes

reflect azure adoration,

now overly tenacious lover

sweeps hand through hair

squinting at peach-and-plum sky above 

finds herself every day becoming

more like the seagulls circling above,

eyes fixated on sandwich crust abandoned

below.