the last mussel

go ahead,
she said.
you take it.
have the last
one, the last mussel
on the plate.
so with a squirt
of lemon, you
suck it clean from
the cold grey shell
and down it goes
slipping into
your own gulf stream.
an hour later, you
are on your knees
asking god to deliver
you, or to take you
home, sweet
jesus, please.