Sitting at the bar, old, too cold to leave,
drinking beer that’s much too close to water.
Outside, the rain thunders down hard sheet blue,
and to keep the cold from my bones I kiss
the bitter nectar, thought of my daughter,
wanted to leave, but didn’t have the heart.
Then she came, all stockinged legs and heart-
stopping eyes a brilliant cobalt blue,
ruby lips and hips like fluid water,
her herald an ice clad scurry of leaves.
She brought warmth with her, this beautiful girl,
as our eyes met for an electric kiss.
Foolish old man, dreaming after that blue-
eyed girl, soft cream skin as cool as water,
and rough fine hair, blonde, just like my daughter’s.
Dreaming of just one soft ruby red kiss.
Eyes in eyes, then she turned, not to leave
but to sit, next to me, and heart to heart.
She told me her name - Kate - the word a kiss
in the darkness on old dried lips. This girl
was real, alive to the beat of her heart,
a host of opposites: fire and water,
hard and soft - so soft, so young - red, yet blue,
and mercifully alone, so we left.
Together we walked by the water,
the watchful moon above cold grey and blue.
Kate, young enough to be my granddaughter,
but all I wanted was to take her, kiss
her, once. Impossible, so hide my heart
well, to keep my secret until she leaves.
She turned to me, down by the water,
took my old hand in hers, and banished blue,
let in gold. With a kiss opened her heart
and I fell in; warm, safe, deep in the girl.
To hold, and kiss, and love, and love, and kiss,
’til I heard her moan her love to the leaves.
And down by the water, deep in the blue,
I gave her my heart. The price of a kiss
I well know: my daughter, her, they both left.