orange peel county

i went through the school bags hooked
in a line and took the lollipops, wrapped
in their dresses of rainbow. i did not stop

to imagine how that would feel: to have
been gifted a bag of sweetmeats –
and lost it. every body of christ, candied,

coated in prismatic plastic is      mine, just
because i want it, and you will not mouth
the one word i want to hear. each suck

and swallow, saccharin drip at the back
of the mouth says yes, yes, says you
were right, says i forgive you for

whatever mommy refuses.      mostly,
the world is a disapproval, a pebble in
the shoe, a fall on the asphalt.      mostly,

the world says no. i seize my moment to
redress the distribution of mints, melts
and sizzle sticks. i commit whatever

i can:      desire is enough of a reason.