Grapes

By E. Richard Hoffman

The morning you paused naked
Before an open window, to feel

The cool summer evening breeze
Caress your thin breasts, trickle

Against warm skin.
A dark brown blush stood stiff,

Supple as a fresh apple.
Hair’s minute tremble, eyes

Grapes of want, and
Your face in ecstasy, Bernini’s Teresa.

Desire, awareness of desire,
Your back arched, delicate column

Of legs, the navel Solomon kissed.
Blushed, draped, swollen, full,

When looking at you my love
Gains much of its violence.

How is it that a woman expects
Both elusiveness and force

From a man, often in the course
Of a single evening? Ask Ovid –

Yet Ovid never answered.
Azaleas blossom, wind-drunk

Honeysuckle clothed in daffodil,
Bending green stems, curved

Under raindrop’s weight.
Body’s dumb symmetry,

Abrupt, awkward edges
Sculpted by desire’s eyes.

Only ask yourself if you know
Of what your lover is capable.

____________________________________________________________________________

E. Richard Hoffman’s work has appeared in a number of literary journals
worldwide, including Blue Unicorn, Hurakan, Voices International, Sunstone and
Xanadu. In 2000, Lone Willow Press published a collection Things Like This Happen
All the Time. For nearly four years he worked as an arts critic for Mental Contagion.


	Grapes By E. Richard Hoffman The morning you paused naked Before an open window, to feel The cool summer evening breeze Caress your thin breasts, trickle Against warm skin. A dark brown blush stood stiff, Supple as a fresh apple. Hair’s minute tremble, eyes Grapes of want, and Your face in ecstasy, Bernini’s Teresa. Desire, awareness of desire, Your back arched, delicate column Of legs, the navel Solomon kissed. Blushed, draped, swollen, full, When looking at you my love Gains much of its violence. How is it that a woman expects Both elusiveness and force From a man, often in the course Of a single evening? Ask Ovid – Yet Ovid never answered. Azaleas blossom, wind-drunk Honeysuckle clothed in daffodil, Bending green stems, curved Under raindrop’s weight. Body’s dumb symmetry, Abrupt, awkward edges Sculpted by desire’s eyes. Only ask yourself if you know Of what your lover is capable. ____________________________________________________________________________ E. Richard Hoffman’s work has appeared in a number of literary journals worldwide, including Blue Unicorn, Hurakan, Voices International, Sunstone and Xanadu. In 2000, Lone Willow Press published a collection Things Like This Happen All the Time. For nearly four years he worked as an arts critic for Mental Contagion.