Shawn Aveningo is an award-winning, globally published poet whose work has appeared in over 80 literary journals and anthologies, including LA’s poeticdiversity who recently nominated her poetry for a Pushcart Prize. She is co-founder of The Poetry Box^®, managing editor of The Poeming Pigeon and journal designer for VoiceCatcher. Shawn is a proud mother of three who shares in the creative life with her husband in Beaverton, Oregon.

Apparently,
orgasms have a direct 
impact on one’s ability to 
remain objective and critical.

This is especially true 
when reading poems
                                                about food.

Everyone knows
EVERYTHING
            tastes better after sex—
 
the eggs your lover scrambles
            as you roll over easy,
            famished,
 that midnight slice of devil’s food,
             crumbs glinting like diamonds on a pitchfork,
 even the menthol wisp from a cigarette.

This comingling of spirits, bodies
                 —a distinct energy field
in which every slush-pile poem
suddenly, 
                   somehow               sizzles.
Each metaphor, 
                   naked                       reveals epiphany.
Words on the page
                   coerce
                                                        into phallic form.

                 YES!           YES!          YES!

This is the best
                                                               poem I’ve ever read …

 as is the next 
                              and the next 
                                                           and the next.