Carrie Magness Radna

He always wanted love
more delicious than
hard candy

couldn’t ever get enough—
never could quench down the fire
in his loins, in his mouth

and she was red-hot
once upon a time,
before their kid, before the fat

settled in—circus peanuts
made the palette bland
before the big top show,

but he still wanted spectacle,
the sexy girls melting like chocolate
and cherries popping,

but his heart gave out
before he lost her, he lost it all;
life no longer sweet,

ravenous, tastes now dulled,
moving slower, sugar dripping
into water; basically breathing,

melting into nothing,
spun fine; staining mouths pink,
thinking he’s young again.

–Carrie Magness Radna

Poetry