Touch your words against my skin

This poem is a villanelle, courtesy of Heather Rivers and her poetry workshops.

Come close and touch your words against my skin.
Our art is voices, painting spoken hues.
I’ll wrap you up in phrases. Let’s begin.

Please speak away the noises, dim the din
and let your lips go walking as they choose
Come close and touch your words against my skin.

Send word to me, put movement in your chin
and speak up, like you’ve nothing left to lose.
I’ll wrap you up in phrases. Let’s begin.

We’ll shorten all our poems, neat and trim
and stand on rhymes that give us better views.
Come close and touch your words against my skin.

I’ll speak you sugar; hear your cinnamon
let’s make dessert from words we like to use.
I’ll wrap you up in phrases. Let’s begin.

We’ll dive into new verses, and we’ll swim
and play among the waves of verbal cues.
Come close and touch your words against my skin.
I’ll wrap you up in phrases. Let’s begin.