Natural Geography Lesson Poem by Dónall Dempsey

I wander through
the natural geography

of our bedroom
a landscape

inhabited by
a mountain of clothes

(wondrous to behold)

your brilliant
blue dress

the river that
runs through it

as it flows
across the floor

a blue slip
a blue bra

tributaries
flowing into it.

You lie
topless

on an unmade bed
on your belly

kicking your legs
this way & that

blue tights
blue knickers

the last remnants
of clothing adorning

your near nakedness

heels crossing & re-crossing
behind your behind

head held
in the chalice of your hands

nipples engaging
& dis-engaging

with the text

hair made of sunshine
splashing over the illustrations.

You shout
over your shoulder:

“What’s the difference
between

S
T
A
L
A
C
T
I
T
E
S


&


S
T
A
L
A
G
M
I
T
E
S

?
”

I could have told you
I suppose

but
stunned into startled silence

by the gift
of your half-nakedness

I felt
it would be better

if I
should show you.

“Tights..! ”
I tremblingly tell you

removing the last shred
of clothing

that protects you
from my lust

“... come down! ”

And you
wise now

observe
acutely

“And the might
comes up! ”

You smile
coyly...cutely.

The next lesson is
...Love!