Peach
POEM VIEWS: 5309
Born in Salt Lake City, Jennifer Tonge received an MFA from the University of Utah. Tonge’s poetry has been anthologized in Rising
. . . MORE »By Jennifer Tonge
Come here’s
a peach he said
and held it out just far
enough to reach beyond his lap
and off-
ered me
a room the one
room left he said in all
of Thessaloniki that night
packed with
traders
The peach was lush
I hadn’t slept for days
it was like velvet lips a lamp
he smiled
patted
the bed for me
I knew it was in fact
the only room the only bed
The peach
trembled
and he said Come
nodding to make me
agree I wanted the peach and
the bed
he said
to take it see
how nice it was and I
thought how I could take it ginger-
ly my
finger-
tips only touch-
ing only it Not in
or out I stayed in the doorway
watching
a fly
He stroked the peach
and asked where I was from
I said the States he smiled and asked
how long
I’d stay
The fly had found
the peach I said I’d leave
for Turkey in the morning I
wanted
so much
to sleep and on
a bed I thought of all
the ways to say that word
and that
they must
have gradient
meanings He asked me did
I want the peach and I said sure
and took
it from
his hand He asked
then if I’d take the room
It costs too much I said and turned
to go
He said
to stay a while
and we could talk The sun
was going down I said no thanks
I’d head
out on
the late train but
could I still have the peach
and what else could he say to that
but yes
Jennifer Tonge, “Peach” from Poetry (February 1999). Reprinted with the permission of the author.