Alison Dunne

MOTH

I think
I could cup the giant moth
in my two hands
the tenderness of that

fearless, I could slowly close
the trap of my fingers

I learnt I was merciful
the way you watched
in light borrowed
from a wakeful city as I
lying between your open legs
looked you in the eye
took you in my mouth

just because I've always been afraid
staying under cover
while  moths bumped stupidly
at my lamp shade
is no reason not to do this
to gently shut my hands
feel frantic beats against my palm

I know I am tender
the way I met your gaze
my gift is release

Date of Birth: April 1964 Location: Leicestershire, England Email: Ivoryfishbone@aol.com Publications: QWF Magazine, Tees Valley Writer, The Nerve: The Virago Book of Writing Women (Virago 1998), Broadcast on BBC Radio 4

Naming what it comes to / october The Porch the difference between tea Hand in Hand The Blown Fuse Death Poem Moth While Reading Your Poems A Cat's Lives Day of Reckoning my cousin jesse lee On Moving Out Math in Leon County Turning Sixty Five in Montana Knowing Fire On the Occasion of My Cat's First Birthday Directions Evidence to the Contrary

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