"Pleasant"

E-mail

Give me the love of the woman
Who has given her love to me,
These fourteen weary years and more
Has given sweet and free
The warmth of her body,
The light of her smiles
To lighten the heavy burdens
And shorten the dreary miles.

Let me caress her body,
And the breasts that nourished my son,
The belly that bore me a daughter,
And her weary legs that run
After little dancing feet
That pattered down the hall
To scatter toys and clothing
And crayon on the wall.

Give me the love of the woman
Who was always true to me,
When I was poor and foolish
And both I still may be.
Give the love of the woman
Who stuck by me thick and thin,
When all the world shall turn me out,
Lord, may she take me in.

The love of a maiden is firm
And tart, and velveted and dangerous
As an unripe summer peach that swings
From the topmost slender bough,
And tempts a man too far
To reach and grasping fall
To earth.

And find he holds what he cannot eat.

The love of a wife and mother
Is soft and rich and sweet and pendulous
As a fall persimmon with the kiss of frost
That dangles down to fall
Into the outstretched hand
Unbidden, yielding up
Its nectar.

And fills the mouth with a thousand flavors.