Engagement

Once I had a common flirtation with Life.
I had a softer skill in turning from the edge, then.

In the world where you live, I learned a body-version of love.
I took pleasure in that natural talking.

Your figure was draped in fulfillment robes,
hot and difficult to touch.

We found some mutual degradation in our high pure dance,
a practical mixture of fear and loathing.

Then I learned that I'm bound but not forever.
that I can pass in utter concourse through a windowless vision.

This gave me a minute of basic bouyance.
My voices told me the egg's in the oven,

enjoy the soul-slump, toy with the drain.
Go sit on that withered stump under the pleasure-dome.

Even thought it's the radiance that counts,
immolation in the heart-fire is a grim machine.

Sidney Wade
Copyright © 2001

Sidney Wade teaches in the Creative Writing Program at the University of Florida. She has published three collections of poetry: Green, From Istanbul/Istanbul'dan, and Empty Sleeves.

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