pastura

My old poetry study on sensuality seems appropriate here:

Desire in Costume at a Masquerade Ball

I
we watched
between the feathers

of our disguises
as the raindrops outside

drew together on
the hot pavement in
cooling pools

(inclination)

the way her collar bones
rocked forward
like a cradle

the way she clutched
the clear stem
of her glass

the way her thin
strap slid off
her shoulder

II

his tongue
was scandalous

more so than
the dive of her dress

and all we felt
was the heavy blush
that burned our faces

(persuasion)

he loved the way
"les cuisses" slid silk
between his lips

he made words like
"framboise" and "miel"
drip in his mouth

to him "la riviere"
spread itself wide
for his breath

III

the music died slowly and
clung to our ankles

as we turned ashamed
into the steamy night

dropping crumbs
for pigeons
cooing sleep

(enlightenment)

the electricity
of hushed tones
and damp hands

he breathes
"la lavande" and
sighs in her ear

as she gathers
up her dress
and slips into the shadow