Melody Wilson

Viceroy

It was a particular privilege,
being asked to pull
the slender ribbon of gold,
lift the cellophane
from your Viceroys.
I unfolded the foil corner,
unveiled a row of cylinders
robed in tan paper,
pressed my nose to the pack—
floral with metal on the tongue. 

You smack the pack
against your fist, propel
a cigarette out, light it,
(one quick drag, one long one)
exhale, settle it into your
green ashtray, resume typing.

A column of ash climbs
from the tip’s amber crackle
as smoke rises between us.
I watch you work from beyond
the veil, take from you so much—
how your hands move,
your compulsion to burn.

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Melody Wilson’s work appears in Sugar House Review, VerseDaily, Tar River Review and Crab Creek Review. Upcoming work is in Kestrel and Pangyrus. She received 2022 Pushcart nominations from Redactions and Red Rock Review. She was also semi-finalist for the Pablo Neruda Award. She is pursuing her MFA at Pacific University. Find more of her work at melodywilson.com.