Merciel

Teeth paw at the cherry lollipop,
whimper for the crunch, but tongue
covers the ruby and pleads, “A few more licks
before you enter.” Seconds tick with each lick.
Teeth tense as the spongy probe bathes
in the candy’s stickiness and melts into it.
Then the ivories break the dam and flood
through the cracks into the sweetness,
and collapse for a night inside the taste
of the juices as sticky ruby tears fall to the floor.