Cigarette

by Sean Stennett

How I long for you.

I want to hold you gently

between my fingers.

I want to put you

to my mouth

and taste you

inside out.

I want to draw you 

into me.

Breathe you out

effortlessly

I want to take you 

to the very end

till you burn

my hands

and bend.

But I wanna 

put you out softly 

with tenderness.

And I wanna hold 

you for a bit 

after your fire is gone.

Before I throw you 

into a pile of others 

and say so long.