Tonight's Poet Corner: Cream Cake Shop

Cream Cake Shops
by Belinda Roddie

When I wasn't selling
enough sugary tiers
for the same-sex couples who
cavorted around the village,
I thought

maybe I should
confide in the baker
rolling out worms
to sour
in the musk.

I asked him how many
gold coins he got
from the beaming pairs,
frosted heads, iced smiles,
laced everything with
cold fondant.
He said he got silver.

Only silver.

And he extended a hand
white with flour
but still
pinker than the skin
caking his cheekbones
for me to shake.