Jealousy

by Brendan Sullivan

I forgot how jealousy
looked on you –
a brooch of many colors
pinned to her dress
just above the breasts,
or a thin bright ribbon
trailing off a straw hat.

and how it smelled –
too much perfume in a
tiny space or
lemons bursting off the branches
to bloom at her feet.

and how it sounded
like too much music
for one room to hold,
so it had to be shared
with a stranger
who wore candlelight
beautifully.

I forgot
how it sat on your tongue –
a sharp insect
shedding its wings,
and leaving me
to dream of her.

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I am a lifelong beach bum who has turned from acting to poetry, as I find it a more remarkable muse. I also enjoy surfing, sailing and diving. My work has been published at Wordsmiths, The Missing Slate, Every Writer’s Resource, Gutter Eloquence, A Sharp Piece of Awesome, After Tournier, Bareback Magazine and Bare Hands.