The Courtesan's Reply – Tambulasena

In the beginning

my whole body was covered with skin

hard as rock. Then he came

and his mouth was a river

running over me, cool and quick

with small, silver fish.

Night after night

he shaped me

and smoothed me

down

to my velvet

bones.

*

Now, I bathe while he watches,

feel his eyes,

fireflies on my skin.

I bend over,

my hair, a curtain of water

between us.

I let him towel me dry,

his strokes soft at first, then brisk,

like a cloth shining a lamp.

Water drips down

my back. He grasps the rope

of my hair and climbs.