soon as i get Home, by riel fuqua

riel fuqua

beads of sunlight and warmth

explode under my eyelids and i see

Joy

the tip of my tongue tastes

like crystallized brown sugar

i swallow deep

and the sweetness of that saccharine

settles into my hanging belly

with ease -

Joy

there is no turned tummy

just the ringing in my ears

that crescendos into the most

beautiful melody i’ve ever heard

Joy

titillating behind my teeth

is the euphoric resonance

of a philharmonic symphonic orchestra

Joy

the handsomest earning

for all of the way this old Soul has grown

and there are hands outstretched

and touching the etchings of diamonds in my skin

and there are fingerprints

touching the imprints of the universe on each other

bone interweaving with bone

and love is finally alike

Joy

there are no genders

no classifications

no divide

instead souls on souls

and lips on lips

essence upon essence

heart to heart

and it is an absolutely glorious sight

Joy

and you

are there too.

and we

are well.

for the first time,

we are

alive.

---

riel fuqua (they/them/theirs) is a creative artist of many trades, each of them centering around the communicative art of storytelling. much of riel’s work focuses on the mosaic of experiences they have had as a Black, queer person residing in the Deep South, including navigating interpersonal relationships, sentiments both big and small, childhood memories, the nostalgia for reality before COVID-19, and the zest of Black, non-binary joy. riel currently resides in florence, alabama, where they spend most of their time romanticizing the necessary mundane - nourishing, resting, connecting, and daydreaming - while they balance work at both a local university and an art museum.