Jason Pettus | poetry | Taking a lover


	Taking a lover "Julius left for San Francisco in the summer of 1969, leaving Evelyn and the child behind. It was the first summer she took a lover." --The Men Who Loved Evelyn Cotton, by Frank Ronan I would like to take a lover. Like a store. A store of lovers-- "Can I help you sir?" "Yes, I'll take that one, right there." You have already taken me, my lover. You have taken me without even realizing it when you slip into the booth next to me and bang your knees against mine and I feel the knock-knock-knockknoknoknok and all I can do is stare at the menu a little harder "Can I help you sir?" I'll take -- I'll take I'll take a cup of coffee I'll take -- I'll take Can I help you sir? Yes, I'll take that one, right there. I would like to take you, my lover. I would like to take you home and lock the door I would like to shield you from Budweiser poets I would like to shield you from petty jealous ex lies from petty jealous ex whatevers I would like to take you home and lock the door and feel that one bead of sweat drop and splash Can I help you sir? Yes, I'll take that one. Right there. You have already taken me, my lover my secret lover when we bounce and bang and whizz and curve up Clark Street and down Clark Street and up Broadway and down Broadway and up Lincoln and down Lincoln When you force me to take your hand and you -- YANK -- and I am forced to call upon the secret mantra taught to me by a lesbian in San Francisco "Just repeat the dashboard in your head over and over Park reverse neutral drive drive drive It will eventually go away Park reverse neutral drive drive drive She will eventually let go of your hand Park reverse neutral drive drive drive Park reverse neutral drive drive" Can I help you sir? Yes, I would like to take an invisible lover and I would like to sit her down at an invisible table I would like to feel her big shoulders in my hands I would like to feel my lips on the back of her neck I would like to feel my cock any goddamn place she would like to feel my cock Can I help you sir? Yes, I'll take that one. Right there. I would like to take your books, one at a time run my finger down the spine feel for the crease from when you laid the book down while in the bathtub I would like to memorize every word on that page an entire library of stolen private moments in my head I would like to take you, my lover I would like to Can I help you sir? Sir? Can I help you? Yes. I'll take that one. Right there. Copyright 1998, Jason Pettus. All rights reserved.