And If It Was

by Carol Rumens

If it was only for you
all along, all the time, all the way,
and nothing was left of our brightest exchange
of brain-light and blood-sugar; if
it turned out to be just for the flirt and the fling, the great luck
when it worked, when we came, and I caught
the whiff of your sweat, like human sweat,
and your glow, saw your feathers and hair
flare like an Inca head-dress, though
no more that a match-flame, over and out, not catching
anyone’s fire but mine, any time but now,
would you forgive me, words?

From: 
Blind Spots





Last updated September 16, 2011