Tonight's Poet Corner: Unearthed

Unearthed
by Belinda Roddie

When I pull you into bed,
your clothes still dangling from
your supple frame, I do everything
gently, and tastefully, as I strip you
bare of every shroud of shame.

When you kiss me and it stings,
I feel embers in my gut, collected
in ashen piles, rejuvenating me
before I think about what to do
with you now. What to do with us

now.
Now is the time for action. Now
is the time to take me somewhere
warmer than the vapors of our
synchronous breathing. Be steady,
and I'll be the one to row you back
over to shore. But you'll need to

lead me to the ocean first, seal
the sores on my skin with salt, so
that when I swim, I float. I never
sink, not until you grab my arm
and pull me into depths unexplored.

Just do it all
gently, and tastefully,
please. I'd like to drown
in your bucket of thrills
with just a little bit of class.