By: April Mae M. Berza

Love is political. And so is lovemaking.
Voting for democracy of desires
seemed illogical but we fought
for this freedom as you expressed
the purest intentions to me.
When we visited the parliament
of passion, you deflowered my soul.
You governed my thoughts most
of the time. Even in my subconscious,
you colonized me. Out of desire,
we immersed in memories where
my tongue was imprisoned inside
your lips, my virgin nipples seducing
you to succumb. I stared at the warmth
of your breath, you inhaled the fragrance
of my voice, I tasted the smoothness
of your sinews, you listened
to the kaleidoscope of my heartbeats.
Mornings moaned to the slightest touch,
nights whispered “I love you, Dale Jude”
sixty-nine times as we shared
the election of kisses and embrace.
Love is political. And so is lovemaking.

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April Mae M. Berza is the author of Confession ng isang Bob Ong Fan (Flipside, 2014) and Berso de Berza (Charging Ram, 2012.) Her poems and short stories appeared in numerous publications in America, France, Canada, Belgium, Romania, India, Japan, Great Britain, and the Philippines. Her poems are translated into Crimean Tatar and Filipino. Some of her poems are published in Liwayway, Belleville Park Pages, Haiku Journal, The Siren, Poetica, Three Line Poetry, Calliope, Maganda, Metric Conversions, Ani, The Manila Times, Letters to my Bully, Remembering Rizal, Voices from the Diaspora, Madswirl, The Stardust Gazette, The Riveter Review, Asahi Haikuist Network, Contemporary Verse 2, and elsewhere. She used to work for the associate editor position of Toe Good. Her poem “E-Martial Law” was broadcast on IndoPacific Radio on KPFA 94.1FM/kpfa.org and her poem “A Page from History” was broadcast on WYCE Electric Poetry 88.1 FM in Michigan, USA. She is a member of the Poetic Genius Society. Her two haiku entries were featured in the 9th Yamadera Basho Memorial Museum English Haiku Contest Selected Haiku Submissions Collection, July 2017. She received an Honorable Mention in the 19th HIA Haiku Contest and the 7th Akita Russia-Japan Haiku Contest. She lives in Taguig, Philippines.