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A
Alobar
May 01, 2008 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

Same Old Story

Casually I entered her—
Had she said her name?
Not sure,
Wouldn’t have mattered anyway
Not tomorrow, after she dressed quietly
Left with words
Empty,
Television dialog
Less even, for the act was for her benefit
Not mine;
My act, the same: selfish strangers.

She moaned slightly
As moist flesh parted easily
Needing entry, but only by some archaic, animalistic design—
No thought
Just action,
No connection beyond the physical
No future and no consequence…
Or so we think
So we always think.

The thrusting then
On both our parts
Is not done so much for the other
Or with the other
But to,
Only to
Like paint put on a wall.

The sounds we make are pure
Animal
Naked,
Naked sounds, grunts of lust
Moans made only for self,
Songs of selfishness
Sexual satisfaction
Now sated, we part—alone again.

There are no words now shared between us
Just a bed,
Temporary death of alcoholic sleep
Journey to thirst and ache
And possible regret, the discomfort of strangers.

The next morning a sunbeam across my eyes awakens me,
My head throbbing
The desert in my mouth tasting faintly metallic.

My hand wipes my face
Hoping to clear the fog,
To cleanse;
Any relief I feel is imagined.

There is a strange scent in the air,
An unusual musk
A faint sour, sweet, sickening cover
A remnant of something pure, holy
Yet utterly meaningless.

My head turns, painfully
Rotating on its cuff like the gears of an ancient, rusted machine come to life…
Confusion greets me:
Hers…          Mine,
Open eyes, inches apart, sharing…
Questions… realizations… discomfort

What do we do now?

                What do we say?




******





 

           

             

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Country/Region: CAN

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Comments

C

Calliope

18 years ago

Very bold

I liked this very much.A subject most wont touch, you have captured it perfectly,well done poet. Lacy, Where power corrupts,poetry cleanses.
themoonman

themoonman

18 years ago

Alobar...

or so we think so we always think. Cleverly written...and full of truth..as we have all been out there.. doing our animal dance.. a pleasure to read such work. One question though.. an unusual must... did you mean musk? Richard
A

Alobar

18 years ago

Good catch–typo I missed.

Good catch--typo I missed. The lines you quoted, I was wondering if anyone would comment on those--I think the theme is right there: it could be something blunt like disease or pregnancy, but I was more speaking of the spirit and the soul. Thanks for the comment and the read. Alobar (Just my two cents, spend them on gum if you wish.)
themoonman

themoonman

18 years ago

on the lines..

I too felt that to be the theme..as one day the dance ends up in a relationship..for however long it lasts. and considering the bacterial implications of today..scary huh. Richard
R

rider68

18 years ago

Quite Brilliant

This has been very cleverly created and thought through, the running dialogue well maintained, the last stanza adds too the creative thought of lying side by side, and very tastfully maintained, again.........Quite Brilliant..... Best Regards Peter
Janice Pearce

Janice Pearce

18 years ago

Same Old Story

To tackle this subject matter took a lot of guts, your words took us all there, whether we have been in this situation or not nicely written!
P

Pleides

18 years ago

Survival of the species

The sounds we make are pure Animal Naked, Naked sounds, grunts of lust Moans made only for self, Songs of selfishness Sexual satisfaction Now sated, we part—alone again. My dog, a pedigree bitch, was recently on heat, male dogs came from miles away, drawn by her smell. For some reason your poem reminded me of this. We humans I guess have similar instincts, although many of us do like to think we are superior to other animals. A fine poem Poet, but I do hope it was "protected" sex, otherwise there could be a litter of innocent mongrel puppies on the way. :-) Pleides
Marius Surleac

Marius Surleac

18 years ago

smart fragmentation of feelings...

A very interesting poem! It looks like Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” - the use of fragmentation of the poem imagery is very smart, animal instincts in a junction with smooth sensuality. Deep perspective of two warm feelings that seems to be lost in a still motion painting. Excellent poem Alobar! Cheers from Marius!
A

Alobar

18 years ago

Thanks to all who commented,

Thanks to all who commented, glad I could take you to that place so you can decide for yourself: cautionary tale, fantasy or other.... Pleides: Like dogs in heat... sometimes, yes, the urgency and the satisfaction is merely that. But dogs don't look at each other cockeyed the next morning; animals have no shame. Perhaps there likes the difference.... Alobar (Just my two cents, spend them on gum if you wish.)
P

Pleides

18 years ago

Shame

Pleides: Like dogs in heat… sometimes, yes, the urgency and the satisfaction is merely that. But dogs don’t look at each other cockeyed the next morning; animals have no shame. Perhaps there likes the difference…. My beautiful Bella, that's my dog's name, knows shame, she can out do any human when it comes to shame, with her eyes and ears and the sad droop of her tail. A human animal looking cockeyed just doesn't compete. ;-) Again, wonderful poem from you, and the responses you've received underline that. Pleides
P

purplemoondoll

18 years ago

No thought Just action, No

No thought Just action, No connection beyond the physical No future and no consequence… Or so we think So we always think. These lines capture the essence of the poem for me. Whether this is a drunken act or cold sober. The urgency and immediacy without thinking of the consequences - as you say thinking there won't be any - say it all here. Bravely written. Brilliantly expressed. The blunt language really adds to the theme and title. I can relate to the 'selfish strangers' from my younger days. I guess most of us have been there at one time or another. Kaz It's impossible to smile on the outside without feeling better on the inside.
A

Alobar

18 years ago

I’ll of course never

I'll of course never confess whether written from experience or imagination, that would just be no fun. But you, like Richard, zeroed in on the key phrase: Or so we think So we always think. Notice I never said right or wrong, just that it's what we always think. Let the individual define their own morality, as I have my own. Thanks for the read, glad you enjoyed. Alobar (Just my two cents, spend them on gum if you wish.)
G

gumpymonkey

18 years ago

ofcourse you cannot

of course you cannot confess whether this be written from experience or Alobar's imagination because I think or so I always think this poem is about right or wrong handed masturbation! :) great poem... i just am amazed that no one else figured it out! you wanker! -Daniel
A

Alobar

18 years ago

No, no hidden masturbation

No, no hidden masturbation metaphor, it really is about a one-night stand, a casual encounter with another stranger in the night. Two strangers, and their inability once sated to not be ashamed. Should they be ashamed, ah, now therein lies the question doesn't it? I leave that for the reader to decide, for the naked souls to render their own judgment upon. Thanks for the comments, and your interesting, ambidextrous take on my words. Alobar (Just my two cents, spend them on gum if you wish.)
O

orgami

18 years ago

on the excursion

nice poem about the drive loved your word usage love the line "casually I entered her.. had she said her name?" sorry to say I have had nights as such Eye colour of course I love eyes face shapes the curve of lip names?? no dont recall !!!! O
asiajy

asiajy

18 years ago

i look forward to your writing

you always tackle the tough topics (i apologize for the ongoing alliteration) i could feel myself in the bed as i read. it was so closely realistic that you sometimes forget its poetry and could be real or not, but well written, as usual.