In Our Love-Making

Beyond the clanging

world,

inhabiting our own

drumbeat,

we are braided

lovers

breathing each other’s

breaths,

pumping each other’s

blood,

stirring each other’s

desires,

safe in the basket of

our arms.

The Clam

I picked a clam from the beach, a beautiful thing.

Its valves exquisitely symmetrical, its surface lustrous,

ridges swept in a graceful wave outward from the beak.

I keep it on the mantelpiece; it reminds me of perfect love:

the symmetry, the wave, the gleam, the perfection of it.

It reminds me of how we created a love that enfolded us

in a warm shared self-knowledge, a completeness of pairing; 

that symmetry of happiness apparent even to a passer-by.

I give you

This tree's dripping fruit

to place in your mouth

to ripen your tongue.

The water guttering down

these green leaves

to be a trellis of fingers

about you.

This soft drizzle of sunlight

to fall gentle as the petals

of meadowsweet on your cheeks.

This bindweed and all tendrils

to hook and bind

                   our desires together.

Films in your face

I am watching the film in your face:

your enjoyment crinkling

at the corners of your eyes,

teeth catching your lower lip,

blood draining from the pressure,

draining back as soon.

Furrows on your forehead,

I am smiling at your absorption,

want to stub them out with my thumb

but you catch me looking

so I turn back to the screen

till your face is mine again.

The words on my lips

remain unsaid. A time may come

when, not having words,

I will wish I had spoken; a time

when love being tested, I could say,

I used to watch films in your face.

Green into Grey (full)

Green into Grey

When the clouds

Fell onto the hill with the trees,

And they were sinking,

Sinking;

I thought of you.

The still heads

Belied their stirrings in the murk,

They were swimming,

Swimming;

And I thought of you.

All day long,

Shadows mutely threading that depth,

And they were ghostly,

Ghostly;

I thought of you.

When the sun

At last tore the mist from the trees

they were gleaming,

gleaming;

And I dreamt of you.

A love poem

I Give You       

 

This tree's dripping fruit

to place in your mouth

to ripen your tongue.

 

The water guttering down

these green leaves

to be a trellis of fingers

about you.

 

This soft drizzle of sunlight

to fall gentle as the petals

of meadowsweet on your cheeks.

 

This bindweed and all tendrils

to hook and bind

our desires together.