JULIE ANN STEVENS

you could ask for a slow spin on the axis

as the sun sets on your time together

a wide twirl of your skirt while the shadows creep in

and fall across his face like a wayward lock of hair

fingertips lingering until they fade one drop at a time

gently so gently into complete darkness

but it’s usually a hard stop

that marks the end of things

time is suddenly called in one mind

while the other keeps skating circles

and if you can’t stop the world on its axis

gently so gently you stop yourself from spinning.