by Lee Jing-Jing Christina

The words snake out of my mouth before I can stop them.
Braiding the ends of sentences

keeping them tied up with a velvet ribbon,
or left loose

to unfurl slowly in the hours after.
Hear the difference between

Shut up, and
Shut up,la.

The last word hiding in it the curve of a smile,
making a blow land light as a kiss.