Ritual by John Grey

We go through this ritual
when I visit her place.

I sit on her couch
and she pours me a drink.

I take a sip,
mutter, "Nice"
and then she mixes
one for herself.

I have heard that
in some foreign county or other
there is a ceremony in which
what appear to be seeds of black pepper
are scooped into a tube
that's fitted into the nostril
of the participant
and then someone blows fiercely
from the other end.

The result
is a feeling of the most unimaginable pain
that's then followed up by pure ecstasy.

Meanwhile, we both get a slight buzz.

This is an agreeable country
but not yet a foreign one.

*****

John Grey is an Australian poet, US resident. Recently published in Examined Life Journal, Evening Street Review and Columbia Review with work upcoming in Leading Edge, Poetry East and Midwest Quarterly.