perspective

The Ancient Chinese Classical painters all believed
   that virgins ate peaches & peonies.
Their paintings never made any direct reference to sex.
Love always was delicately couched in allusions.

Chinese lovers never played around with breasts
or bums & such as Indian poets did. 
Kissing was out of the question in both cultures.

In the West while the sun slides down behind the trees
a solo drinker fills in time throwing unsteady shadows
on the clubhouse wall.  
And slender supple teens in fancy rags with flexing weeds
for company preen themselves.  

Love comes in season, is never for ever
& lust usually ends in disgust.

She leaned all over me & said,
‘I married my best friend, & that beats romantic passion.’  

The beautiful wife’s heart is deep like water in an old well. 
She gathers herbs into bundles & ties them high to dry.