welcoming by kelly zen-yie tsai

welcoming
by kelly zen-yie tsai

let the rains 
pour down 
on brooklyn 

let white 
velvet curtains 
squeeze skin 
off of wrought 
iron bars 

standing tall 
within open 
windows

let the police 
siren wail while 
racing down 
Fulton 

let the bearded 
man call out his 
song from the 
mosque painted 
white and green 

rugs rolled and 
plastic tubs of 
shea butter 
stacked beneath 
its doorway

let the baby boy 
cry from his crib 

as the lightning 
bangs 
	and 
bangs 
and bangs itself 

into fresh 
discovery 

save your lips 
for no lover 

save your fingers 
for no lover 

save your thighs 
for no lover 

enjoy yourself 
delicious 

in the pounding rain 
that shakes 
the concrete 
of brownstones 
turned condos 

and empty lots 
turned construction 
zones 

let the page 
stay blank 

let the words 
remain inside 
your pen 

let effort stay 
inside your 
heart 

love quietly 
steadily 

in small 
reserves 

palpable as 
stones 

perfect as 
string knots 

then

release these 
from your grip 

save none 
for yourself