We Trade Sips

by Ben Long


We trade sips from  
the same glass  
Sending it 
Back  
And forth  
Over  
And over  
Until it empties
  
And we refill it. 

Tell me, what is intimacy if not 
this?  What is intimacy if not a  
Voluntary sharing of something  
That could easily be kept to 
yourself?  

The living room has become a 
church,  The couch has become an altar,  And 
God is in the drink  
That we pass to one another. 


This is a prayer:  
Another half an hour.
  
This is a genuflection:  
Your knee is bent. 

This is peace:  
Your hand brushes mine. 

This is Communion:  
The wine is sweet. 

This is Confession: 
I Love You. 

I hope you 
can forgive 
Me for that. 

Ben Long is a West Virginia native and an aspiring performer with a deep love for the arts. Ben was a member of the Performing Arts Conservatory in high school, has performed Shakespeare with the Rustic Mechanicals Apprentice troupe, and has appeared in productions put on by WVWC. He was also a three-time attendee of the WV Poetry Out Loud contest, and in 2021, he was recognized as a state champion and national finalist. Ben is currently pursuing a degree in Musical Theatre, with a minor in Creative Writing. “We Trade Sips” won second place in The Vandalia’s 2022 Art & Literature contest.