Thursday, July 21, 2005

Texture of Her Secrets

The shapes of animals
move against her skin
in the dim light, the
forest reaching out
to touch the essence,
sick with need like
I was then, sick with
want for the texture
of her secrets beneath
my palm.

With wind susurrating,
the quiet mutter of the
aspens above, the plaintive
call of one bird for another—
one who doesn’t ever answer,
but only maintains his hunger
in silence, and the squirrels
who are forever scolding,
now struck dumb by
what she is and what she
has been.

There is no asking voice,
no questions chiding me
deep into nights of purple
city glow, the knowing
nature of my loss so
clear, like animal shapes
as they move upon her
skin, and how all the
leaves of every bush
lean toward her as
she passes.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

There's longing in them thar words, ma' friend.

Anonymous said...

I can only second Dr T. Wow. This is original and evocative on a topic as old as humanity. Not easy to acomplish. The image of leaning toward a desired object is wonderful.

This one cast me back to younger days. I've also been known to "go weak in the face of beauty."

Cylithria Dubois said...

Simply Stunning!

Mushster said...

Feeling it totally.

Bill said...

Mmmmm...Mmmmmmmmmm....Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!

Sweet, sultry, sensual all come to mind as I read this... that feeling of the unknown, soon to be known, excitment, anxiety....

The desire and longing was very palpable!!

Patrick M. Tracy said...

Thanks, everyone. A bit of an off-speed pitch for me, I suppose. I'm happy that you seemed to like it.

Doc,

...or at least the analogue of longing...

Swiftboat,

If we can't, "go weak in the face of beauty," what good is life?

Cyli,

Thanks for coming over! Always glad to welcome new people, especially when they say such nice things!

Mushter,

Thanks. I've been lurking w/o comment on your blog, but I've found your list of facts interesting. Plus--how can you go wrong using Garfield as a role model?

Bill,

I like to tip my hat to the more conventional usages of poetry here and there. I think this one came out pretty well. Thanks, again, for coming over.

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