New Baptism

His dark hair a twisted nest
I reach into, stroke down 
to scalp. I kiss his forehead, 
though I want the matter 
beneath, the soft dreams
he hides behind his teeth.
Mouthing for more, my fingers 
find him. And I reach 

for her beard, burning red. 
My curling knuckles against 
her jaw want the hunger, 
heavy lasso pulling 
our beading bodies together.

Our sweetest parts, we feast
wholly. So full, sweat tucks 
behind our knees, our necks. 
Bone to bone, breath in breath.
I’m in her palm, I’m on his thigh,
tangled in a bed of making.

Binx River Perino is a queer poet from Texas. They hold an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College and are the author of Pure Light (Bottlecap Press, 2023). Their work has appeared in Variant Literature, Cold Mountain Review, GASHER, and elsewhere. They’re based in Chicago with their dog, Maya.