Using a calligraphy pen,
she traced the side of my face
onto crisp paper stock,
mutton chops and tam
stitched in profile.
She shared it
before king oaks
in the UNC courtyard.
Journalism camp, a random
choice, but lent
to the surprise, and
a walk and a swim. Calendar
pages turned and we sat
along the Currituck Sound,
our bodies engraving maps
of our explorations
in the damp sand.
Our inexperienced hands
roamed one another
and without much
warning, the day breaks
the two of us into
our separate ways,
but distant pictures still
linger, and songs still
remind. Beach prints
remain to echo
our art. Museum galleries
framing the past.
Paul Piatkowski lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina with his wife, daughter, and corgi. He teaches English at Forsyth Technical Community College. His work has been published in journals like Florida English, A Hudson View, 2River View, Nagautuck River Review, U.S.1 Worksheets, Fast Forward, Sheepshead Review, and Ditch.
