SHE WAS STAR-SPANGLED
She was a star-spangled troubadour and I was her Prince Telling.
She was moonlight on melon; she was pop-tarts in bed.
I was Dasher, I was Prancer, I was Blitzen.
She panted. I painted, drew blood with my teeth.
I was told, and now I'm telling.
She was a sea anemone love-slave, sweet-fingered drama.
I was crumbs between her digits. I was sand between the sheets.
She was a burden to be bothered with her hair all wild and wet.
I was bothered. I was bothered, oh yes.
She was a star-spangled elevator push button tease.
I was Tivoli and Tripoli and underwater mesh.
She sizzled like St. Elmo, and slithered home like ice.
I was watching. She was hiding. I was found and she was true.
I was lost from the beginning. She was lost in the end.
She was a star-spangled breath-taking eye-witness wind.
I was whittled down to nothing. I was traded in for scrap.
She was riveting, and I was battle-hulled.
She was Eve, Adam, Serpent. Fruit.
I was marrow and alarm.
She was the green grass of my neighbor, the broken fence; barbed wire.
She was a star-spangled burst of speed. And I was acapella.
She was a word-tangling lip-smacking blacksmith of kisses.
I was the flesh of her confession.
She sliced me into alphabets and then she ate her words.
I was shrapnel in her gazebo. She was winsome, won and wed.
I was savage. She was harvest.
It was fair and I was ready.
She forked my tongue, and I carved her holiday bird.
1990