Chewing gum kiss (for Vicky Kytzia)

You took the gum
From your orange segment lips
And folded the sticky sweetness
Into shapes between your gentle fingers
So delicate yet so strong
And pressed it onto the bus ticket
From our first adventure
Next to the gum I no longer wanted

That will forever be the moment
The only moment
Of regret
In my life
But instead
Of seizing you
In my embrace
And planting the first seed
Of loves most wondrous question
I took your discarded gum
And spittle
and mine
And wrapped them
up together
And slipped
This chewing gum kiss
Into the pocket of my leather jacket

I will carry it with me
This chewing gum kiss
Until we meet again
And on days when my heart
Can no longer bear the pain
Of your stark and monochrome absence
I will peel away that bus ticket
From our very first adventure
And I will taste your orange lips
On mine
Just To see me through
Until the bus comes