156.

I watched two girls embrace in defiant answer
to some question: yes, we are here
and they kissed with cracked leaf lips, desperately
like every gust of wind was out to tear them

we all kiss in the shadows
of men, spitting flower petals on the pavement
as we unbind our hands to pray
at the alters of freckled knees and elbows
of softness and slope

no, we are not going away
but we wait for nightfall sometimes
before we break our fingers and show each other
our blood and bones
sometimes we think we need cover of darkness
to revel in the pinkness of our bed sheets
to braid our lipstick mouths

these girls did not know
that half the passersby were unfazed.
they were bristling with spears and armor
accustomed to battle by now
and terrified, and in love