Ear

By Paul Hostovsky

I love your ear—
literally. Not
the figurative ear,
not the sensitivity
to music or poetry,
which you arguably
don’t possess.
But your literal ear.
Its pinna and lobe.
Its cartilaginous-
ness. I love
to take it in my mouth
and bite it tenderly,
lovingly. And I love
to look into your brown eyes
which take the world in
literally, and shine
with a happiness
that is brown as earth
with flecks of green.

🩷🩷🩷

Paul Hostovsky’s poems and essays appear widely online and in print. He makes his living in Boston as a sign language interpreter. He has won a Pushcart Prize, two Best of the Net Awards, and has been featured on Poetry Daily, Verse Daily, and The Writer’s Almanac. Website: paulhostovsky.com