Virgins Plus Curtains Minus Dots

Latin Borghese

Houses hold virgins

The door’s on the chain

‘Plumb streets with hearts’

‘Bore curtains with eyes’

Virgins               without dots*

Stare                   beyond probability

See the men pass

Their hats are not ours

We                  take a walk

They are going somewhere

And they        may look everywhere

Men’s eyes                 look into things

Our eyes               look out

A great deal of ourselves

We offer to the mirror

Something less to the confessional

The rest          to Time

There is so much         Time

Everything is full of it

                       Such a long time

Virgins may whisper

‘Transparent nightdresses made all of lace’

Virgins may squeak

‘My dear           I should faint’

Flutter..… flutter.… flutter.…

.…‘And then        the man—’

Wasting our giggles

For we have no dots

We have been taught

Love is a god

White              with soft wings

                        Nobody shouts

            Virgins for sale

Yet where are our coins

For buying a purchaser

Love is a god

             Marriage expensive

A secret well kept

Makes the noise of the world

Nature’s arms spread wide

Making room for us

             Room for all of us

Somebody who was never

                                a virgin

Has bolted the door

Put curtains at our windows

See the men pass

They                are going somewhere

Fleshes like weeds

Sprout in the light

So much flesh in the world

                     Wanders at will

Some          behind curtains

Throbs to the night

Bait               to the stars

Spread it with gold

And you carry it home

Against your shirt front

To                  a shaded light

With the door locked

Against virgins who

Might               scratch