popsicle

You remind me of a popsicle.

Specifically, a cucumber-jalapeño paradox-sicle
from Las Paletas on 12 South in 2002 Nashville

Seeking relief form the the hot wet air
pressed against every inch of summer

Cold fire and bright sweet green,
frozen mercy in the lead with heat hot on its heels.

and it hurt and the only thing that helped
was more.

and sometimes the only cure for what hurts
is more

And I just kept going, because the only thing
that eased the pain was more and more and more

feeding the blaze to soothe the burn
and so I kept going - kept licking - kept licking

And then it was gone,
and I was alone in the park,

with sticky hands and a mouth on
fire

not the actual popsicle. Las Paletas has closed, which is a bummer.

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