Lips that were meant for rounding into oohs and ahs,
for loosening so that the tongue can do
its work in forming the vowels and consonants
through which we beseech each other our daily bread
and allow our daughters to fraternize
with sons of those who used to be our enemies.
Lips and the mouths they serve as guards and entrances,
judiciously covering the abject
waste, extravagance, and ultimate emptiness
that tend to be characteristic of all mouths;
lips that serve as mouths’ eager advocates.
Lips that have been masked and that ask to be unmasked.
Lips that long to be seen as well as heard, and lips
that long to pour unmuffled into ears.
Lips that long to kiss and be kissed by other lips.