Bongo

Hours coursed by on that long afternoon
Sensed as minutes, as the still air in the room
And outside the window
Made no sounds to punctuate the time
We spent together
My body lying on top of yours
My damp hair feathered across your chest
My cheek pressed against your warm skin
My ear cupped to a soft crease in your muscles
So I could listen to your heart beating beneath bone and tissue
A steady rhythm, relaxed and perfectly timed
To your gentle breathing
Unlike my own heart,
Whose rhythm is irregular, like an impromptu bongo riff
In some ‘50s syncopated jazz number
An unfortunate quirk of chromosomes
That typically goes unnoticed
Except when suddenly aroused when you touched
Your palm against my back,
Or startled by emotion when
You said you wanted me to stay,
Or strained by the tension when
I thought I might not be ready to do that,
My heart went off like a furious solo
In the middle of a wild song
So I breathed and exhaled to calm the crazy rhythm
Settling my cheek into the hollow of your chest
Inhaling the smell of your skin
Tasting the trace of sweat left from our afternoon
And knowing that despite my heart’s betraying outburst
I would stay for good.