Nicotine Kiss

By Anthony Mathews

In the lateness of the night,
Through the bastard cold of winter,
I still see her face in the stars in the sky.
I still see her in the cobwebs of frost in my window.
And I still hear her tears in that sonata.

Blue smoke curls up my face,
It steals my breath as she did.
A placebo kisses my cheeks and lips,
And leaves me hollow inside.