PART 1   CONFUSION

Why was it, I asked, that you made love with me
Is there a reason on which we might both agree
Was it a thing just bound to happen, and then it did
I think that it was fate that brought us both to bed

Events evolved beyond all choices that we had
Beyond thought of what was good for us or bad
Passion from which there could be no retreat
Leading us both to a surrender most complete

The muses must have had a secret scheme
To entice us to such a passionate sweat dream
And open our spirits to a new form of loving art
A drama to be played out in things of heart

Perhaps, my partner said, mythic compassion
There was a time muses could engender passion
Apulieus brought even divine lovers to tears
And removed for them all inhibitions and fears

But that, I am afraid, was in a time long past
And times are changed now, many changes vast
Romantic perhaps are your portrayals of our fate
But I doubt the muses brought us there to mate

I’m surprised, I questioned, you saw nothing further there
Were your words and touches then not quite so sincere
Or have I read too much into our brief meeting
What I have felt did not seem, to me at least, so fleeting

I have found with you an emotional attraction
That brings to me a calm and a loving reaction
I was sure you felt the same, or was I wrong
Was not your feeling for me entirely just as strong

Oh, I felt a strong attraction too, she said
More physical than yours, more by passions led
That type of passion needs no verse or muse
It’s a natural urge that no one has strength to refuse

So, I said, you were just unable to resist my charms
To do nothing but throw yourself into my arms
That I don’t believe, that was something different
You can not fake it, that was warm, not at all indifferent

There is something, she said, to your suggestion
Not indifference, no, that sentiment I would question
And not just bodies having sex, something more
I don’t know, we just were not separate anymore

But can that be true, I said, to have come that far
So little time together, is this like wishing on a star
Do we want so much for this to gain fruition
That we’ve foolishly left behind all our inhibition

PART 2   RESOLUTION

Should we think more of where this might be going
I fear we have lost control to emotions most fast growing
I have not just been dazzled by your charms
I am starting to see you forever I my arms

You are right, she said, we are moving far to fast
There is no reason to think that this might last
But there is a thing we do have, I know it in my heart
I too start to see us as never again apart

So now, I asked, how should we proceed
Too much talking is as likely to mislead
For us, the future is a place and time unknown
No words will help, we must do it all alone

Agreed then, I said, no more need we say
We will explore our future in a wordless way
Forward together, in some delightful wonder
Into our future we will simply blunder

The mistakes we will make we will quickly rise above
They will bring us to heights we never had dreamed of
The two of us together, there is no reason for us to fear
Against the world’s hurts, we well always persevere

But now, I said, I still am troubled with some doubt
This future we envision, need we think more about
Have I painted a world as only I would have it
Might you see a world that with mine can not fit

I saw then a tear in her eye, I had touched a nerve
Had I assumed commitment beyond what I deserve
When I then sat beside her, she moved aside
Oh god, I thought, did that suggest a great divide

My heart sank, to my eye too there came a tear
I sat frozen, there arose in me a most hurtful fear
But, as last, I spoke a wood I had not yet used
I said I thought I loved her, then smiled, as amused

I began to laugh, I am relieved by what I have just said
But why can not men just say what is in their head
And when they do, they say I think, rather than I do
But I do love you, and my commitment is overdue

I cupped her face and kissed away her tears
Then held her in my arms to take away her fears
She just melted there, neither spoke nor moved
I knew my offer of love had completely been approved

PART 3 COMMITMENT

She now raised her head to look at me
My heart melted more, if that could be
No words passed, what was there to say
Our eyes said what of love all they could convey

And still we sat, exploring with our eyes
Hers was a simple beauty, lovely best applies
Her hair, dark blond to her shoulders long
Simple pearl earrings, a fashion never wrong

I touched her ears, my finger trace their edge
On her nose a childhood scar decorated the ridge
And her eyes, they say the windows of one’s soul
In their depths her virtue they made whole

I ran my fingers through her long soft hair
Then down her neck to find her shoulders bare
Then cradled her head with gentle hands
She smiled at me, I know she understands

Now she followed suite, she too touched my ears
But spent more time than I, exploring new frontier
First one, then the other, the pinching gently of each lobe
And then her smallest finger, entered as a probe

I shuddered and reflexly turned away
But now her lips found mine to play
Sending most sensuous shock down my every nerve
Had I cared to resist I would have found nothing in reserve

I was putty in her hands, hers completely
And she in mine, bakers’ dough kneaded sweetly
Our bodies weakened by these minor pleasures
We paused now, to dream of waiting treasures

PART 4   THE BED

We were seated on the edge of that old bed
A type high at both the foot and at the head
Called a sleigh, tall ends symmetrically designed
Scrolled rails across the top made it look refined

The bed was at least a century old, made by hand
Country strong, walnut, hard use it could withstand
Even then, this craftsman had left his special sign
Scrolled top rails added grace to its simple design

We were sweating in a room just barely warm
Our faster breathing had returned to norm
We laughed a bit and said, look at our condition
Will we survive the heavy stuff at peak or our ambition

Our silly banter was like that of lifelong friends
We enjoyed each other, no delusions or pretends
And the bed too we wished to see in different light
Knowing it would be remembered with some delight

Her childhood bed, she said, had high ends too
With blanket and sticks I made tents I could withdraw into
Not happy words, I said, withdraw into, but am I prying
Oh no, she said, I read a lot, fantasy, reality denying

Hard use this bed had seen, but its wounds were superficial
Its structure still was sound, solid wood, nothing artificial
Its enduring strength had resulted from its type of joints
Mortise and tenon joints, they would never disappoint

It had been modified to support a real mattress
No ropes and straw to cause one’s back distress
And, no doubt, to house bed bugs and tiny lice
The joys of country living, living natural, real nice

Searching further we found a trademark on a rail
Rosemont Hardware, Deutchtown, in marvelous detail
And a further detail I pointed out to her consideration
Tenon fitted tightly into mortise, an erotic inspiration