Kiss Fight
by Melissa Mahadeo
the better of us by Arline Almeter
in this little city
on this quiet night
the better of us
is always you
sick with memories of
long summer days
full of pride
arrogance and immaturity
our so-called adolescence
a failure
and buried in the midst
of our silly little jokes and games
were our feelings toward each other
sloppy, squalid, and pathetic
in this hotel room
the two of us
scuffle and bicker like kids again
the rules we abided by
when we were young
broken
no one was “it”
and
the game of hide-and-seek
was long over
this is how it will be
no more jealousy
you'll live your life and i'll live mine
this isn't a drama; it's a kiss fight
Arline Almeter is a junior dance major from Newtown, Connecticut. Her work has been featured in Student DanceWorks 2019 and 2020, Lehigh Valley Dance Exchange's Freshly Squeezed Showcase, I Never Saw Another Butterfly, and Volume 10 of Pitch. In the fall of 2020, she performed in Monica Bill Barnes & Company's The Running Show - Behind the scenes of the work in progress as part of an ensemble of LVAIC student dancers.
Melissa Mahadeo ('22) is an English major who eats, sleeps, and breathes poetry. As her primary creative outlet, she often writes about romance, mentalities, and moments of stillness. When she's not writing, she enjoys singing and watching old films.