We’re All Alone
for D.B.A.

1.
two thighs to love, to part with kisses
to ask to open, to get between

it might be enough to kiss there
that is unless you insist upon more

unless you hunger, unless you asked
me to fill your glass to the brim
with dark rum

honey are you horny, are you of age
can we add such an event
to the others you're engaged in
at this time

school books
to close and open and close
your thighs to open and close

clothes to wash and hang out
in the sun and wind to dry

eleven and married
in some parts of the world

is it so early, at 18, to dream of love
to regard you with such eyes

hardly any woman I know
or ever knew

more appealing to me
more enticing

thighs to die for, to kiss open
to kiss close

you to kiss upon parting
tied with the knot I must tie
to end a poem, you and I

2.
too lovely to let go
to relinquish this tie

two thighs, two tied

another relationship offending
in the way, obstacle to marriage
I've cut off, banished

this one, I varnish, polish
with poems, more and more

right in the heart of all that is holy
right in the way we must walk to the altar

unable to push her aside or shove her aside
or ask her to move
want her where she is

unable to dream
of relinquishing her, of giving her up
too much a part of me, at the heart of me

I could die of a heart attack
with her, along with my wife, in my heart

impact upon me too great
to know what to do with,
to know how to deal with

if God does not intervene,
I'd not know what to do

were we in
a certain tribe or another, in Africa
I could have them both as wives

not worry about choosing one
and giving up the other

wonder though
if she'd have consented,
desired to marry me
were we where it were possible
away from these Bahamian islands
these rocks of refuge

around them, rough seas
which have tossed us up,
tossed us two together
attached us as we are

sweet as it is, sweet as we are

sun passing through
the eye of her needle
just after it rises, just before it sets

causing her to salivate
she is my salvation

3.
holy love, I am trembling, enfold me
wings about me, angel of life,
shall do me just fine

light, shine through the dark in me
penetrate hurt and pain
and fear I feel

when I tremble, still me, able to easily

in what times you come to me
and through what wretched parts
of this city

beauty, abide with me, reside with me
I am often unable to bear,
a touch so holy

made possible by what miracle of events
in my life
I'm not arguing, just happy, too happy

grapefruit on the tree
all ready to be picked, to be harvested

sour oranges for mom to squeeze
on jacks, snappers, goggeeyes
I, sent to the tree to pick them

salt and red, hot peppers, mashed into one,
with empty soda bottle

seasoning smeared in all the cuts she made
across the sides of all the fishes in the pan
to be fried

that was a while back
my mother’s passed away
five years before, into the world
came kicking and screaming

baby of mine, woman I love

4.
rough back of her thighs to love
to kiss also, not just what's smooth

rough and smooth places
to sooth with caress, with lips,
with tenderness

lotion to lotion her all over
hands to rub it in, to rub her with

God,
I can use some Vaseline
Intensive Care Lotion
all over my body also

what damage this winter has done to my skin
I wear a set of clothes,
a number of layers

in this same weather, she leaves her thighs bare
wears tight short shorts

how I wish I were these shorts
she'd have put her legs through, one at a time
before she pulled them up, squeezed them on

they hug her, hold her like a lover might
so very tight

5.
how did we get like we are,
where we are

ah, Lord, love
where in the universe
is this wonderful space
this heaven on earth

is this Eden, my darling
we've come to again
is this planet earth

until now I was unaware
that it offered such joy
such enjoyment, such wild ideas
such wild rides, wide eyes

out of one phase into the other, leaping
I, able to observe, the circus of life,

the fiery hoops, the whips,
tigers, lions, leopards leaping,
crouching, snarling, growling

these animals all in my girl to confront
to hunt down, be slain by
or to befriend and stay with

as much against tame as I am

we go to the edge
just to watch the sun set

its ring of fire, this ball ablaze

6.
holy dove, hold me love
or I'll fall off the globe
or it would drop and it would break

enough pieces already
things in this world
we must maintain whole

painters with models
bare upon coaches

you bare me when I picture you
when I push my pen far

write politely or swiftly
across your anatomy,
across your history examination

you are the history lesson
I am most interested in
examination I wish to take and pass

if I fail would you cheat for me
I'd be unable to live without your approval

encountered you, and upheaval
like I had not imagined
like a storm hit my island

whirling me, flinging me, tossing me
ironically, my darling,
I have never been happier

you and I
on planet earth together
who planned it
whose planet is it

it's yours and mine
let us share it like a beef
or chicken patty


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2010
Written on Sunday, 7 March 2010
between 10:25 a.m. and 6:17 p.m.