Leaves Shadows
for D.A.

i.
while I am still hot for her,
attracted to her, must leap upon her

leaps upon me, mercilessly
treat up against a tree

naïve never more knowing
innocence never more dangerous

shadow of palm limbs, palm leaves
upon the earth, upon which she stands
across her jeans, her top,
pink, with spaghetti straps

with head turned, she tempts
with eye contact

daring, not fearing
little, but about to be large

can be large in one minute
able to leap from where she is
in an instant

I sense it and tremble
I fear and invite it

what has she
in her purse in her hand

she can be hellish
as well as heaven on earth

ii.
ready for what comes
dressed to undress
to be addressed by who knows how

who knows what she’s capable of
what she would or wouldn’t do

as much a part of nature
as the tree behind her
upon which she leans

dates upon the ground about her
purple, ripe,
match wine-colored top she wears
with dark-blue, almost black jeans

she is so relaxed, my heart
like hooves of horses in a race

girl like her with a look like that
blood rushes about, races about
this hot August morning

I am taken by this picture she took

dressed to go out, to go in
dressed to kill, like they say

how can she with so little effort
have so much impact

I am a weakling, she is so strong
I am a victim of an arrangement
a flower among leaves

breeze blows through leaves
and my heart shudders, trembles

poet stutters because overwhelmed

iii.
I’m gpnna go in,
I’m gonna take my gloves off

take her purse from her hand
take her rough jeans off

shoes which fit, which suit her so well
I must first remove
with or without consent

she gives consent
even if society doesn’t
invites erotic gaze

ripe enough to pick
how many coca plums has she had
in a lifetime of Sundays

flesh on her bones, her body
fleshy as guineps to look at, to feast on

I want to tell her
I heard what she said
can hear what she's saying

with the cut of her hair
with earrings on, hanging

I love and know the language
of bare arms

what elegance, how seduced I am
by her thighs in her jeans,
her legs apart, her toes in her shoes
how they’re turned in

she instructs and I listen
she orders without words, with eyes

her body knows languages
learned over centuries

I with my pen, hurry to catch up
to keep pace

iv.
I’d have to uproot all the palms
all the plants, scatter them
fling them about

to show how crazy I am about her
would she run for cover
would she understand, empathize

forgive a negative expression
of emotions

too extreme to contain
or to express in any mild manner

driven wild by subtle gestures
arms, legs, heels, toes

way she’s clothed
what she covers, what’s left bare

what a signature of femininity
of loveliness: darling woman

darling plums I’ve never had
she must be full of these
and bee honey

cup or two to catch some
take some, taste some

v.
thunder of summer
shakes the firmaments

rain falls, long strands, long hair
she’s cut hers quite short

I shiver in the rain

holding back, what if she leapt,
let loose her forces
opened her flood gates

vi.
I want you, she seems to say
do you want me, she seems to ask

how well proportioned
short woman, full grown

woman for me
awkward way she stands, she’s turned
just right, so right

so turned on, light dances over her
dances among leaves

shadows and light
form stripes, strips, shreds

she is whole still, she holds still
holds my attention,
holds her purse in her hand

behold a woman like this
know I am a man

Eve in Eden, wearing clothes now

are there any animals left to name
left to tame

I could go wild with her
were I to enter this picture

vii.
inquire about town, about palms
about this place where her picture was taken

in what city on earth
what tall building behind

is she dressed for dinner
is she out on a date

is it an afternoon for pictures
is she away from home
and must have snap shots
when she gets back

how long after she was born
this seductive looking
this moment in time
this spinning earth

she upon it
as if upon a potter’s wheel

with hands in wet clay
he guides the outcome

this day to celebrate
having been created by divine hands
divine plan

she is what her maker intended

I’m only looking
an admirer passing by
who had to stop to marvel
and sing and long

and sing along


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
Written Friday, August 14, 2009
between 1:14 a.m. and 2:43 a.m.