nude in the forest

nude in the forest

thighs wrapped

'round bark,

sapped inside finally

by more than your bed,

not your hands but mine

traced the long limbs.

my smell is deep smell

i thought
as i circled the nubby wood

i thought of you and your forest
you as lover
you as spirit
you as all men

You mark a single tree,

i mark them all

your smell so angry

bark bristles

my smell so hungry

it needs more than marking

then,
hearing sap sounds

the tree pushed back,

other trees called into swaying

no wind moved the leaves - 

I did

my sap in their limbs now

up through their veins,

my smell on the leaves 

the leaves drank

pained with rhythm

they fluttered

dancing leaves on singing limbs,

the forest moved

as crusted bark,

scraped clean,

finally dropped to earth