Swallows

Every sip of coffee...

a touch of sugar, a splash of cream, softening the steam,

rising from our mourning brew.

We’ll quail a bit…

stirring up, the bittersweet debris -

memories of what could have been,

or someday, might just be.

Every sip…

nipping at our silken tongues,

a scorching contradiction savored,

before we swallow it down.