I will not lose my desire.

I see them walking—
Dead women walking—
With rings on their fingers
And bells on their toes,
But there is no music.

They stand still—
Never looking,
Never watching,
Never wondering,
Never imagining,
Never straying.

Loyal lovers,
Resigned lovers,
Dead-on-the-inside lovers.

But I refuse.
I refuse to lose my desire,
My umph,
My ooh,
My ahh,
My yeah, baby, just like that.

In my mind I feel them,
See them,
Love them,
Make love to them.

Am I wrong?
Am I unfaithful?

Is it wrong, unnatural, sinful
To feel?

Yes.
But I am alive.

There is a ring on my finger
And bells on my toes,
And I have music wherever I go.

Intense brown eyes say right away
That you’re too smart for me.

Jackass.

Who gave you the right
To look into my soul?
To smile like you know?
To throw me such a heated gaze,
So passionate,
Like it’s all I ever wanted?

It’s all I ever…

Cocky.
That’s what you are;
That’s all you are.
Without those intense brown eyes,
You would be nothing.
You would be every…

Stop it.

I don’t care how that stupid
Five o’clock shadow would caress my body
Or how those strong, masculine hands would…

Are you enjoying this?
You’re just teasing me, aren’t you?

Well, I won’t give you the satisfaction—
I’ll turn away.
You’re just a stranger
In a bookshop
In love with me.

Maybe.

Please?

YorkReview2009