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Sunday, March 29, 2009

Center of Trees

He watches me while I remove
what little make-up I wear; I
slide out of tummy support panties
and unhook my bra.
I smile- I like the way
my breasts relax, rounded out
against the sides like dough,
inviting hands to knead.

I drape myself in pale splashes
of daisies. I am godess.
His growing urgency tells me
I'm pretty. I smile slightly
with lips he's kissed almost forever.

I walk to him, a ritual sashay
across the room. He's transfixed.
The flowers dance and he watches
petals sway against my sugar-baby skin.
His eyes wander to my firm, full thighs.
He wants to touch; my gaze
says not yet.

I pull off my beaded hair band
and a sultry free fall of raisin
and henna locks splay across
my broad shoulders.

He pulls me close and holds me tight.
I feel wise and blessed not ancient.
He loves me more each new gray,
each new line. Years like rings-
bind, never ending.



*This week's prompt at Sunday Scribblings is aging. I wrote this a few years ago because I wanted something that was closer to what I was experiencing in my my middle years and my belief in loving in my later years. Visit readwritepoem for 'get your poem on' and one single impression is a cool place for poetry as well. Okay, I'm really getting mileage out of this single piece today, but the truth is, it frees up time for me to blog hop and comment to your work. Hope you check out my friends.

20 comments:

anthonynorth said...

Just 'cos we age, it doesn't mean we lose our youth. Well told.

Linda Jacobs said...

Oh, Susan, this is an amazing poem! I love the immediacy of it and the crisp images.

"He loves me more each new gray" is such a surprising and perfect line!

susan said...

Thanks Tony and Linda. I was very anxious about posting this. I've wanted to tweak it but I don't know how. I know we can sag but I worry this isn't tight enough. Any suggestions are welcome. Revision is good and necessary.

Thom Gabrukiewicz said...

That was absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Funny, as we grow old, we don't have to lose our sensual being, as you've so well captured. Bravo.

Dee Martin said...

Bravo - as someone who had been married nearly thirty years, I can relate to this. I love the line "Year like rings - bind, never ending" I captures a time in marriage perfectly - made me smile. Kinda hot too ")

Carol said...

I'm fifty years old. Never married, but I still love this poem. A beautiful comment on mature love. I think it's perfect!

jay said...

That is great! I liked it a lot (and I'm not really a poetry person).

Maybe one reason I liked it is because it is so true for us. Married 32 years now, and he doesn't even really notice the saggy wrinkly bits, bless him!

sudharm baxi said...

I won't say a lot here..actually can't

But a very good piece, rather a personal one and i admire you for sharing it..

Let the body age because we don't have much control over it..
But our soul and our spirit are there to support it..
So live the life in its entirety, be it eighteen or eighty..

susan said...

Sudharm, modesty gives way with age I think or it maybe that's just me. lol Thanks for coming by and commenting. H

Deborah Godin said...

A poem wonderfully displayed in all it's glory! I think you will evoked a sigh from many women out here reading it, and possibly some men, too. Thanks for this!

Wayne Pitchko said...

WOW...very nice..BEAUTIFUL. i'm 70..my dear partner just turned 60...I read some of my poems to her...some of the "aging" poems she really likes. I will show her your poem..I'm quite sure she will love it also. MMMM again such a deeeeeeeeeeeelicious poems. Aging is wonderful....

SandyCarlson said...

I'm hearing "when smoke gets in your eyes" this romantic night. Beautiful.

Anonymous said...

This poem smokes for sure, Susan. Don't you change a thing about it.

Amias (ljm and liquidplastic) said...

Fire doesn't always create smoke, but desire does. Old as I am, I so believe the best is yet to come.

sgreerpitt said...

This poem is smokin'! Every verse crackles with the heat. A nice way to combine the prompts.

Claudia said...

Thank you for giving me - a new and very tired mommy, frequent wearer of sweatpants, late night popcorn nibbler, haven't had a pedicure in months - something to look forward to down the road.

Especially love that "ritual sashay"!

Jeeves said...

Wow!!!!Dear...This is soooo good.

susan said...

Thank you, all. I was worried this wasn't too....and here you are sharing how much you enjoy it. I appreciate your kind words.

gautami tripathy said...

Liked the images unfolding.

over the ridge and hard planes

Raven said...

Gorgeous poem. Wonderfully done.