Sitting Shiva

Love 
(this love) 
has left the room 
feet first— 
a procession 
of embers and ash. 
Illusions. 
Delusions. 
Damnable oxygen thief! 
So goes the stuff 
of paper hearts 
and fiery tongues, 
of promises—hollow—  
past oily lips 
and teeth that bite,
sworn, 
born 
to outlive names 
etched
on gravestones.  
Won’t you kill me, 
softly, 
with one last kiss? 
Blitheful consciousness. 
Walking sleep. 
Ignorant bliss. 
Then
call the shomer down the street. 
He really knows his Job. 
Rip the collar, 
drape the mirror, 
pawn the wedding silver. 
Take your soul home, 
rockin’ its funerary black, 
and the stone I gave you 
to rub  
between cold fingertips  
on High Holy Days. 

David Estringel is a Xicanx writer/poet with works published in literary publications, such as The Opiate, Azahares, Cephalorpress, Lahar, Poetry Ni, DREICH, Somos En Escrito, Ethel, The Milk House, Beir Bua Journal, and The Blue Nib. His first collection of poetry and short fiction Indelible Fingerprints was published April 2019, followed by Blood Honey and Cold Comfort House in 2022. David has written five poetry chapbooks, Punctures (2019), PeripherieS (2020), and Eating Pears on the Rooftop (2022) with Golden Calves and Blue scheduled for publication in 2023. His new book of micro poetry little punctures will be released in December 2022. Connect with David on Twitter @The_Booky_Man and his website www.davidaestringel.com.