The Second Lover

She scrubbed passion out
from the crevices of hurt,
and felt cleansed.
Her enthusiasm that had once brimmed over
fell sharply
past the edge of comparison.
Hungry, and long deprived,
she gauged on the meager leftovers
from an emotional feast;
served hot enough
but a little too soon.
In the aftermath, she suffered
from chronic heartburn.
Quasi alive in his arms
she said, “I love you!” for the second time