Aureole

It is impossible to know the edges of it
this aureole
areola
A small mismanaging of syllables
turns something anatomical into
the aura of the holiest
This halo of faint light
surrounding my nipple
an island bleeding out into an irregular sea
with satellite islands
moons
cast out into the waves
little dark spots of crusted colour
expelled from the mainland.
Who would live on these age spots?
These specs abandoned by the whole
I would live on them
with a little boat
in summer
catching fish
from the ocean
of a luminous breast.

Creme Caramel

Cupped tight and firm
browned
at the soft round crust
still with a liquid tremble and faintly warm
spilling across the plate
and yet contained
within a physicality
you could sink your teeth into.
My mouth waters at a glimpse
of this swell of pillowy sweetness
I long to bite down into

cleavage

Truth is
I don't wear my tops so low now
Four layers of cotton
today
Hides this scoop of warm flesh
but I remember
when I
wore plunging
cut out
cleavage
This closeted breast
was once out.
before the complications of
confidence
and age.

Analogy

prickle bush
cactus
milk-cup
fig
melon
honey due
sand dune
grassy knoll
mother
weapons
natural history
mystery

but when I clutch the here
now
the flesh on flesh
the
(water-bomb
mushroom
budding rose)
tit of my tits
all this is news to me.

finger

rises slowly
as if pinched or touched
or held or licked or rubbed against the palm
it rises
slowly
a little inching thing
wizened by desire
stiffened
hardened
like the soles of my feet
or my soul as I trudge
towards death
rises
slowly
off the soft flop of my dusty breast
as you point
magician. hand of Michelangelo
creating the hand of god
as you hold your finger
almost close enough to touch
but not quite
tight bud
not quite

prow

proud prow
a woman
full-breasted
strapped to the front of the ship
they should launch fleets
to this lump of flesh
it is made for cutting through waves
nursing petrels
it is made for the sting of salt air
Now
while it is still pointing stern
leading the way
with the steady finger
of a nipple

Bra

What you see of it
today
is an outline
under soft thick cotton
A whisper of a sturdy
foundation
garment
and no hint of flesh
tired of standing
uplifted
at attention