Girlfriends

derived from Verlaine

for John Griffith

That hot September night, we slept in a single bed,
nake, and on our frail bodies the sweat
cooled and renewed itself. I reached out my arms
and you, hands on my breasts, kissed me. Evening of amber.

Our nightgowns lay on the floor where you fell toy your knees
and became ferociuos, pressed your head to my stomach,
your mouth to the red gold, the pink shadows; except
I did not see it like this at the time, but arched

my back and squeezed water from the sultry air
with my fists. Also I remember hearing, clearly
buy distantly, a siren some streets away -de

da de da de da - which mingled with my own
absurd cries, so that I loooke up, even then,
to see my fingers counting themselves, dancing.

Carol Ann Duffy
--sbc