Hips

Tonight I feel less lonely than last night.
No, I’m not with friends
nor am I in bed with a stranger.
I don’t have a date this weekend.

I’m walking in my immigrant neighborhood
who has just come home from a long Monday at the shop or the factory,
and is now feeding the children dinner,
looks forward to a bit of TV,

then hits the sack. It is a sweet exhaustion,
and sweeter still, the man on the sidewalk
who whistles
to the girl leaning out from her bedroom window,

and still sweeter,
the men drinking, not one talking, in bars playing the salsa or the merengue,
whose iron thighs have softened
to hips.


Plan for this poem-in-progress

Comments

James said…
What a Wonderful way to end this project on. Be proud of yourself.

Like the flowing rhythm you have going from stanza 2-4: very nice indeed.

Best,
James
Jee Leong said…
Thanks, James, for your constant cheering during this month. I really appreciate it. The project is not complete yet. Many more parts to write, and then the painstakingly slow task of revision in summer. Like the "Leaves," this book of the body may grow and grow...
James said…
But Jee,

if there are many more poems to be written, why not join me in MaPo?

No prob: it's been a pleasure to read your work and learn from it.

Best,
James
Jee Leong said…
Hi James,
why not MaPo? Partly because I feel I need to read some more before I add to the series. Partly because May is such a busy time at school. I hope you will still go for it, and get many good poems out of it.
Anonymous said…
Jee you inspire me beyond anyone else! May please meet you? I feel like you understand me for me more than anyone else in my life. Your poems have touched me in a way that no other man has. And i mean touched me. THANK YOU DEAR POET, LOVER, and FELLOW QUEER
Jee Leong said…
Hi anon, thanks for saying such nice things about the poems. I'm happy to know that they move someone else, beside myself!

Jee

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