Southern Smile

That first line
at the beach
when love
fresco'd moon and shadow
the fine white sand
tickled foolishness
gave us hopes
bewitched
by an ache of stars
I could undress you now
more than perfectly
in my head
stroke your arms and legs
kiss your ears
brush away
imaginary grains
make you pour
from this old black
Olivetti
its clack of memories
blazing over surf
every thought a sigh
every cut-throat line
parrying the years
but then I'd still be
just a fish
dredged up foolish
to struggle in your net
too afraid to remember
scared one day
I'll forget
so I let my fingers
tap out Dixie
freedom drowns your smile
and the scream of gulls
can wait