The Shuddering Shuffling Feeling

Flexibly laminated thick

orbicular- cornered papers

fly fleeing my fingers

queens, twos, fives, into the

feather-thin vacancies they occupy,

and snugly fit together like

petals tight in a bud.

And the sound:

a sparkling sizzle of popping friction

speeding paper propelled into the space

surrounding my sternum

tingles of sensuous joy because

The deck is brand new.

Originally published in The Bel Esprit Literary Newspaper