Overnight Poem by Kevin Kiely

the funicular creaks and crunches against the rails
up and up the mountain slope
the sheer height and fall to instant death
and our laughing high on the summit

the Gasthaus served soup
olives, bread, sweet potatoes, spiced pork
beer in phial-like glasses
the sharp syrup tang of it through froth

would we stay the night under the eaves?
a stair railing beside our bed
and through the open window
stars and the dark weave of the nightsky
a chill breeze mixed with the pine smell

you gave off heat—an Eve woman
under the wooden roof as I dozed towards sleep
one hand resting on your belly
we woke and snuggled into each other's arms
during birdcalls

pans rattled downstairs in the kitchen
the smell of baking bread and breakfast cooking
so close the crackle seemed near our teeth
as we swayed in pleasure, mouths like bitten apples
riven bodies shocked releasing the fears of life
before a bath