Ace Boggess

Perfect Kiss

The first insults those that follow—
a curiosity, a carnival ride at dusk.
Second or hundred-&-third

recalls the first, measured &
found lesser—small rite
in tribute to inaugural force.

Each next lacks instance,
refers to the past. If only the first
led away so as not to burden others,

if each pair of lips were kissed
no second time, if it were possible
to taste all mouths exactly once.

Ace Boggess is the author of six books of poetry, most recently Escape Envy. His writing has appeared in Indiana Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, Notre Dame Review, Hanging Loose, and other journals. An ex-con, he lives in Charleston, West Virginia, where he writes and tries to stay out of trouble. His seventh collection, Tell Us How to Live, is forthcoming in 2024 from Fernwood Press.