THE WAY WHISPER

Carolyn S. Aguila

I like the way whisper is—

kept for love and secrets,

when both are in primrose bloom,

the way whisper feels

caught pulsing in the ear

from throaty, fragrant wet-breath,

the way whisper holds

dewy, rounded, ripened flesh

between cupped hand and lip,

the way whisper speaks

lowly tones of treacle,

wine-syrupy, sweetly shared.

the way whisper waits

for moments timed perfect

in surprise, boldly painted,

the way whisper flows

inside tender meetings

a message saved, specially,

the way whisper moves

stepping high and reeling

in a word jig, puzzle dance.

Give the way whisper is described, doted, above and from you I’ll not remove.

A native Chicagoan and NEIU alumna, Carolyn S. Aguila is an accomplished spoken word artist who has performed at many famous Chicago locations including the Green Mill Jazz Club.  She authored Flirting with Rhyme and Reason, her first book of poetry.  Among other community activities, Carolyn teaches the “WordWise Poetry Workshop” at Frankenstone Art Center in North Park.

Painting:

Esmeralda Guerrero was born in México and came to Chicago at a young age. She is the oldest of five children and the first to go to college. After graduating from NEIU, she worked for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights as a community organizer.  She currently works at the NEIU El Centro campus, and, during her free time, she enjoys expressing herself through spoken word and painting.