Good stuff about the new book. Keep us updated on your progress!
I finally made some progress on the poem I mentioned upthread. I changed the title and after playing with the form for a while the language finally tightened up into something that began to feel right. I'm going to post the latest version here first, since you've been accompanying me during its progression.
After a night out we take off our love
You shed your violet dress,
lie back languid and at ease.
On green sheets our chests press
warmly into each other.
I lean over, strip away your lipstick.
Remove the heavy layer of blusher
and foundation. Lay aside
the brown and red-stained cloth.
The cleanser carefully cleans
around your eyes. Blue
shadow, indigo liner,
and finally the dark mascara.
Cotton wool gently presses
the hard mouth of the bottle.
The clear astringent toner
raises the fine grain of your skin.
Under the yellow lamplight
your pale face rises up
and I begin to glow. My fingertips
minister the light oil to your brow.
It tingles as it soaks in, feeding
the orange flames. I stare into
your steady gaze. I see you.
You see me. In the awful red glare
of our nakedness we are deathly
afraid. We hold the fear
and for a moment we are
free.