Persistent as a pomegranate
protecting its secret secret self,
try to pry my thick rind away.
My tight sections defy you.
You may have heard of shortcuts.
Try them, but be not in any hurry,
you’re not biting an apple, easy.
I’m not for crushing and consuming
in careless bites, accidentally.
No one accidentally eats a pomegranate.
I take time to satisfy,
I preoccupy.
A two-handed job,
I require your full attention.
Persist, portion by portion,
peel my membranes to find
the many ruby-red
jeweled parts of me,
hearts of me.
Thumbs blood-stained,
tongue sweetly stinging,
sticky and exhausted,
seed by seed
I tease and satiate
until you find me everywhere,
spattered
everywhere you touched me,
days later, smudge and stain,
my mark remains.