On Collaboration

The classic scene:
teenagers stick two straws
deep in the foam of a milkshake,
Archie and Betty
staring into each others' eyes.
Nothing's more romantic than swapping spit.

Yesterday,
we each shoved a straw
into a milkshake;
mine covered in your vanilla, yours in my malt.
(an unintentional switch.)
we have similar tastes, I guess.
the straws cross paths in the same glass
as we take turns finishing another
(too much for our friend to drink it all.)
my mouth tastes like candy canes
as we bump heads
reaching for the straws.
we laugh, sit back.
It's too awkward to sip in tandem.
So much for teen-age pin-up dream.

Instead we take it half-and-half,
a group effort,
An empty glass.

I think that's a different kind
of love.