Farah Lawal Harris

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#napowrimo Day 26 - “Sweet”

I hope everyone’s well. On Day 26 of National Poetry Month, the prompt is to write a poem that contains at least one epic simile. Alsknown as Homeric similes, these are basically extended similes that develop over multiple lines.  Here’s my poem:


Day 26 - SWEET

By Farah Lawal Harris


I thought I was whole coffee bean bitter

until you took a long look at me

and we both decided I was 

sugary sweet

like Kool-Aid in the early 90s

before the knowledge of good, evil,

and risk of diabetes,

like before you aided in softening me, 

causing raw sugar 

to swish in mouth, sliding

down tongue, commingling

with words unspoken 

and teeth clattering to speak 

the colors you’ve left on them,

relishing their presence 

before brushing them away.


And on occasion,

your lips leave me

smelling of sweetened espresso.