Just Me & You & Us Poem by Dónall Dempsey

“You’ve got
a waterbed? ”

(always said
In the most lascivious of tones) .

“Yeah, well...it was there
when I moved in
...takes up all the room! ”

“Takes a bit getting...
used to...at first...
you’re...sea sick then...
floating in Heaven! ”

It was like
a furniture aphrodisiac.

Everyone wanted
to know what it was like

to make love in
...on!

I said: “I don’t
know! ”

People shyly... slyly
invited themselves over
to “test” it.

Both male
& female

hinting: “Wouldn’t I like
to know? ”

I politely said:
“No! ”

Or,
changed
the subject!

Went back to being
Major Tom
floating in a universe
of loneliness

weightless….loveless

cushioned by rubber & water

listened to
wind & rain

attacking my
window pane

humming to myself
“Love Hurts”

with Gram Parsons
& Linda Ronstadt

I held out for a year
repelling all “comers”

including an attractive
work colleague

who looked just like
my ex

denouncing me
as queer
to all & sundry.

“So what? ”
I thought

taking the wind
out of her sails.

But you...you
just wouldn’t take NO
...for an answer

& like a future
wife to be

(& knowing what was good for me)

invited yourself
over

with a chilled
bottle of Chardonnay

& a copy of “SOME
LIKE IT HOT! ”

We spilt more of
the now warmed up Chardonnay
than we drank

laughed uproariously
at the movie

forgot the bed
talked non-stop

12 hours

before finally
making love

as the dawn
inched...its... way...up.

The waterbed
...forget it
(we forgot it) .

It was just
me & you
& us.

Next week
it was Paris

&

married.