Mantis 21 (Summer 2023)
To Raise a Glass, or Down It
Nupur Maskara
It’s the Wine Talking
I slosh around in his glass,
He swirls me around in his mouth.
Ugh.
I hate meeting his saliva.
The stories he tells?
I get the real dope,
When I circulate in his blood.
His cells are chatty,
Glad to have a visitor.
I tell them I’m from France.
They’ve never been anywhere,
They don’t know I grew in India.
“He’s a philanderer,” says Lil’ Billy
“I don’t get any rest. You make it
Easier for him to get action,” he glares.
I feel myself redden more, if that’s possible.
“His thoughts alone could jail him,” sighs his one brain cell.
“I’m tired of the eating, smoking, talking,” moans his jaw.
“I’ve got to digest that,” says his stomach acidly.
“I have to work double when you’re around,” they chorus.
Like a firefly, I live a night.
A night to remember for him. Or
One that he’d rather not remember.
Heh heh.
NUPUR MASKARA is a freelance content writer in India. Her work received the Orange Flower Poetry Award in 2020. Nupur’s work has been anthologized in The Kali Project and published in magazines like Wry Times, Last Leaves, The Gateway Review, Rigorous, The LochRaven Review and Zoetic Press. She has authored two poetry books–Insta Gita: With Arjuna’s Perspective in Poetry and Insta Women: Dramatic Monologues by Drama Queens. Nupur blogs at nutatut.com.Tweet to her @nuttynupur.