THAT SWEET SMELL MCMLXXI

A YOUTH IN AN ABBEY IN 1971 HAUNTED BY A WOMAN.

Light beams down
in thin shards
from windows
onto the choir stalls
of the church,

lux Dei,

thought about the kingdom
beyond windows,

smell of incense
after Mass
in the cloister,

Dio è ovunque
the Italian monk said
as he showed me
the large library of books
in abbey,

I swam
between her thighs
supping juices,

pick apples thus
Dom Charles said
showing me
in the abbey orchard
his stern eyes
watching me,

charity must not
remain shut up
in the depths of the heart
Therese said
for no man
lights a candle
and puts it
under a bushel,

Hugh moaned of footsteps
by his door
in morning light
before Matins
I denied it was me
his thin lips
unmoving in reply,

incense smoke
drifted ghostly
during Mass
over heads of monks
in choir stalls chanting,

Dieu nous parle
the French monk said
as we walked
from church to chapter house
late evening,

spank me before sex
she said softly
speaking as
we undressed,

it is the mark
of an educated mind
to be able
to entertain a thought
without accepting it
Gareth said
quoting Aristotle,

I am sure God
has something special
he wants you to do
Dom Joe(dear Bunny) said
as we sat throwing pebbles
at the incoming tides,

dusze są głębokie
the Polish monk said
as we dug holes
to plant young trees,

George held the sacred host
between finger and thumb
then placed it
on his tongue
allowing Christ
into his deep soul,

the old monk's
hand shook
as he held up
the host in Mass,

amissa anima
I seemed kneeling
in the darkness
of my abbey cell,

after making love with her
the scent of her
that sweet smell.