in the early morning

his taste of coffee and cigarettes is overwhelming
but not enough to make me want to lose the staleness
of his breath as it grazes my cheek--
beneath these street lamps, we are amplified,
we know there's more to this city than working all night
or which way is east and which way is west,
always savoring the ups and downs
of his hands on my waist,
my fingers make knots in his hair
as i try to catch his red-ringed eyes
and we pierce through each other like
the shameless do.