The History of Love In five Romantic Movements

(i)
You’ve had this, I thought
as she turned in the light
as if reading my thoughts
and she says, yes sir
with a grin
and I go about my business
she was almost touchable in there
the darling I was thinking of
and turning still, something metallic caught
on the idea of her
just a little pat and she will be happy
in that light, razor sharp, sinews scream
we meet and at last we touch
the light has time to crystalize
I don’t fight it
she does not resist
we share our lives and I persist
or far off the train whistle and “All Aboard”
shunting orderly and in time with the backwards and forwards
damn, this is just too easy I said
a wry smile, calming foxlike with my eyes closed
jeez, I think you’re mistaken said she
an owl in the night, feathers warm
her eyes wide open

(ii)
this blanket thrown to cover
from pole to pole, and dark but thin
thrown over in one movement
snap and flap the tug of the motion
floating gentle down upon us
I speculate this night we share
as crows talking in their sleep
make us shudder out of whack
this gentle coat so caress, not enough
to blind us
or the weight of your goods in my hand
squeezing to the heart of it, putting my mind there
where my sex should be
where life’s abundance sings its song
enough to incinerate any self-doubt
lying there becomes reason just enough
the frying of your silly limitations
cutting your teeth on pastoral scenes
and deep enough to keep walking into
being sucked into the idea of the next sunrise

(iii)
Oh hell, your pasty pictures of life
demand a better explanation
and don’t, just don’t tell me
it was done with your eyes closed
and back to the wall – bitching like you do
because my blade was always sharp enough
to trim the lumps appearing under your skin
just under the skin, seen it before
done the cleaning and explaining, before
swipe, swish into the muck
so don’t tell me you’ve more to add
more to pack into that bulging book of visions
or other cartoon characters you’ve invented
all in the good idea of time, eye’s corner
I stand at the ready
so wicked I’ve become – seeing the need
through you to slash open the guts of our failings
dance tappety-tap in your excretion
wish your family a happy new year
wave my wand perfecto, magic

(iv)
your fingers on my face
following furrows I dug deep with love in mind
swaying with me down I felt your hand
holding the last idea of what you thought
I am – trumpets
on the platform
and the touch of you tingles still
zoom, in comes the last train clouds spreading
outward now, the wideness of the lord is let go
yes, finally let go
so rickety tack yes rickety tack the rattle
of bones out over rails and glen
the miles we put between us now
so damned the twist this fate
and how I failed you – arms out
and how my mouth and my tongue were intimate
the piano of my mind
seeking such wide open spaces
more pennies for thoughts
your stroke one last time
and you can’t see me for smoke
just smoke

(v)
There could be a morning though
and silly haze not enough to hide this
only the shimmer of light through tears
such wet sin to raise a glass to
prism break the stream
curled up in corner of this solitude
he’ll dream he was a lover, embracing the world
saving the world
pulling in the nets set to catch such lost dreams
the spidery pardons of children
his wife was such a notion enough
or womb or Yin of blood so sweet
to fill the earth with life he’d tried so hard to reach
that boy from yonder home on the hill
hunter returned
so now he prays to know the touch of your lips
to taste the salt of your gentle seduction
yes hold your heart so close it could drown his doubt
cold shiver the child, never meant to rust so young
this puzzle still undone

Copyright © Graeme Perrin 2017