I want to kiss

         your language

shove & suck

         of consonants

wail & pang

         of vowels

caressing fricatives

         spunky plosives

tongueslush

         lovemud

         probe & delve

tipsy whisperings

         owlish shouts

I want to lock lips

         with the mouth

         forming your words

words that reach me

         in a place

         beyond understanding

words that electrify & lull

         & promise & deny

I crave mad love

         to the phonemes

to the dentals

voiced and unvoiced

         to the glottal stops

to the loiter & drowse

         to the lilt & thrust

to the banter & tease

         to the chuckle & strut

to the pepper & pelt

         to the sauce & spice

of your flesh-fashioned speech