To A Poetess

Remember me, my love, for I am he
Who loves to roam the landscapes of your verse,
To visit every image, and immerse
Mine ear in your intrepid euphony.

In solemn rows of text, your words invite
My mind into the vistas you portray,
To walk amidst the columns where I may
Encounter you in every line you write.

In mirth, in tears, in struggle, I explore
The lyric nooks and crannies of your heart,
That every revelation may impart
A keener sense of you than heretofore.

Incite me with a roguish turn of phrase,
Like reading naughty nuance in your smile,
The way you bite your lip -- O love, beguile
Me with your fervent verse, as with your gaze!

Another stanza, and your hand entwines
With mine, so soft! So supple! and you dare
To guide me to a fine convergence, where
My questing fingers read between the lines.

A bounty of suggestion in your eyes
And on the page, in those familiar signs,
A call to prayer as the sun declines,
That summons my believer to arise.

O let the liquid words come flowing on,
As thick and fragrant as a summer's eve
That glistens on your lips! Make me believe
This night will swell in sweetness 'til the dawn!