Morning to Share
for Anuschka Wright

delicious ice cream
dish I could bury my face in

affects me all over, all through

siren, steam, alarm

always besides myself when I see her
when we're engaged in conversation

what passes between us, what she allows
though as innocent as can be

like flowers, like bees in the wilds, in a field

pure thoughts, how carried away
I'd not want to sully what we have
what we share

I'd not want to tear the notebook page

she more than nearly anyone I know
makes me want to live and to be well
in spite of odds against these treats

coconut tree, its limbs like wings
blow about in mild breeze

one limb drying, long leaves drying
this limb dying, parts of me failing similarly

just out of school, just past 17

how weak in the knees I'd be
when we like chime of strings and shells
are strung together

and breeze goes through us, makes music

there is that line in Eliot somewhere
about a couple in love, a couple of lovers

a man and his wife most likely
in bed, shaken by love, by lovemaking

together shuddering
like we do when cold

something miraculous about this girl
who sings, Ida's daughter

what high high shoes she used to wear

how I'd regret, because of her,
being carried off by, carried away by death
rather than by thoughts of her

lady friend I had a rendezvous with
last week-end, so old and so unwell

with her all we'd have to combat
are pimples covering her face

lovemaking, my love for her
and for certain they would all go away

leave loveliness without blemish


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2009
12:10 p.m. 05.10.09