Man and Woman
Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem
She tried repeating words he spoke to her
About their marriage, marriage dry as love
Without the lubricant just past the fur
Between her thighs. She didn’t want the shove
Of him inside her, pointing up to touch
Her heart. She said that sex was not what men
Need, women also. Sex seemed more a crutch
For cripples. For a moment loaded sten
And bullets harder than desire is what
He yearned for, but a throatless numbness deep
Between his ribs swelled up. That’s what she thought.
Astray his attitude began to creep.
So this is what he wed that lilac day.
His pulsing passion veins turned soft and gray.
~ Phillip Whidden
Seurat’s GRANDE BATTE
