CANTHARA

The old black-man showed me

how he had been shocked

in his youth

by six women, dancing

a set-dance, stark naked below

the skirts raised round

their breasts:

bellies flung forward

knees flying!

— while

his gestures, against the

tiled wall of the dingy bath-room,

swished with ecstasy to

the familiar music of

his old emotion.