ONLY.

1961 LOVE POEM

Only if you want to, she said,
only if it means to you what

it means to me. The other
members of the choir were

ahead on their way to the next
house for carol singing, the full

moon luminous above, the voices
of others like faraway whispers

of ghosts. She looked at you; her
blue eyes searching every aspect

of you for an answer. Yes, it does,
you replied, your words hanging

around your head like tamed birds.
She smiled and closed her blue eyes

and moved toward you and kissed.
Lips to lips, flesh to flesh, no tongues

(at least not then that intrusion of
the mouths) just skin touching skin,

seemingly an outward sign of how
you felt within. She drew you into

her arms; you sensed her breast
beneath her coat, felt her body

touching yours. The kiss ended,
the lovers drew apart, the others

had paused outside another house
to begin their carol singing once again.

She held your hand in hers; electricity
sparkled; down came the soft rain.