My skin envelops me

in a  soft permeable snug package

that wants to be touched.

His hands on my skin and

his  arms encircling me and

his legs twisted in mine

hold me.

I relax and dissolve in his embrace.

It’s like in the lake, floating, I allow my boundaries

to liquefy in the water until

I become only my thoughts and my vision of sky

and then

in a flash

I can retreat to the safe harbor of my skin

Skin sensing the complete massage of the silk water

containing me once again.

Submerged in water

or melting in his embrace

I allow myself these short visits with the

ecstatic expanse and disintegration of death.

And then each night, there is my bed.

My bed is my mooring

after the adventures of the day.

All the moving about,

the opening myself to others,

the routine services I provide

gradually disperse and

compromise my integrity.

After a whole day of being invaded

and invading,

receiving and sharing and

all of the mindless performing I do

I return to my reliable haven

with its soft pillows and sheets

And to the smooth skin of his inner arm.