Gentlemen Poem by Suzanne Hayasaki

There is something sexy
About a gentleman.
The way he treats you with respect.
The way he doesn't expect you
To be a vacuous decoration.
The way he listens with interest
Instead of dismissing your conversation as trivial.

There is something compelling
About a gentleman.
The way he looks at you with courtesy
Without making you feel condescended to.
The way he understands the difference
Between attentiveness and possessiveness.

There is something ageless
About a gentleman.
The way he preserves something of the past
Without clinging to its outdated constraints.
The way he makes you feel like a lady
Without expecting you to forget you're much more.

There is something about time spent
With a gentleman
That washes away the irritations of the day
Leaving nothing but the two of you
And a bottle of wine
And the sound of his voice
Intertwined with yours.

There is something about the presence
Of a gentleman
That makes time fly and reality fade away.
That turns a crowded bar into a private space
Where you can let down your defenses
And remember what it's like
To feel feminine.