Sleeping Over

First published in Blithe Spirit 8:3, September 1998, page 31. See also “Dew on a Rose.” The first poem (in the image) was published in Hiroaki Sato’s Erotic Haiku anthology (Tokyo: IBC Publishing, 2004).   +


my sheets in the laundry

in case you might

stay over tonight



grocery shopping—

   first condoms

since the breakup



my fingers

     quivering . . .

brushing your buttons



flickering candle . . .

the curve of my palm      fits

the shape of your breast



the candle flickers . . .

she smiles and says

my panties are edible



the ice cube

held between my lips . . .

hardens your nipple



your rhythmic breathing . . .

     my jeans on the floor

bent at the knee



riding you . . .

    the tip of my tongue

        across your lower lip



distant waves—

the stretching of your neck

with my thrusting



in the garbage can

wrapper of a condom brand

I don’t recognize



awake in moonlight

       beside you

I watch your chest rise and fall



hitting the snooze button,

I disappear

back into my love dream