Coquette

Rachelle Annechino

My first language was silence
but I’m a tease. I
speak with the rhythms of trees,
in polysyllables of dirt and violins.

Run my tongue over the rap song of the chemical world -
I toy with disaster
     deferring the next Ice Age with my heat.
My boyfriends stammer.
The din of the sun is curled

and quelled
in the lake behind my generous house.
My children run and shout!
Time-for-goodnight works a riotous spell.
     The dog trips over his own feet – see? Bandit
still wants to play.