Quarantine Lover
They say you shed
an outer layer of skin
every two weeks
so when the experts said
to stay at home,
we made a love nest
and as we exercised
and played cards
and ate breakfast in bed,
I became refreshed,
became new again! and again! and
again and again! and again and
again and again and again! and—
But as soon
as the city opened up,
he fled
and now I can’t eat maple syrup
without the memory of his erect nipples
and I can’t look at the Uno deck
without imagining his smug winning face.
And I am surrounded
by eight ghosts of him
floating around this empty apartment,
wishing they would become whole
and hold me once again.
Charles K. Carter (he/him) is a queer poet from Iowa who currently lives in Oregon. He holds an MFA from Lindenwood University. His poems have appeared in several literary journals. He is the author of Read My Lips (David Robert Books) and several chapbooks. He can be found on Twitter and Instagram @CKCpoetry.