By l. shields
Date: 6 June 1998

Don't matter where you get your appetite

nothing can ready you
for the honey and velvet jackhammer
that is temptation
from a quarter you do not expect.
nothing appealing about him mind you---
in flesh and spirit a bad guy,
so it never occured to raise my guard
until those arms went about me
in a hot satin vice.
I could not tell you
that nothing had happened
though nothing had---
just a moment of want
that I never wished to occur.
then weeks, nearly months of guilt
before I could touch you again
and feel clean.
But the day came when I knew
that never being tempted
isn't exactly a virtue.
Perhaps faithfulness is the temper
of the steel that is tried
and found to be true.
I only know that I love you more since,
and long for you 
near or far.
Believe, love. 
No one is before you.