Fascination
laced
.
w
i
t
h
.
rum
Ron Rico,
–
–
ventures
.
m
u
c
h
.
further
than
.
t
h
e
.
ego . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ much
further
.
t
h
a
n
.
soft
.
a
n
d
.
subtle
.
probing
words,
.
.
a
n
d
.
.
second
.
c
h
a
n
c
e
.
glances
between
.
brotherly
toasts
.
a
t
.
chapter
dances . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
b
u
t
–
–
–
every
.
t
i
m
e
.
I
.
close
.
m
y
.
eyes,
.
.
I
.
.
feel
.
y
o
u
r
.
spying
hands
.
u
p
o
n
.
mine,
–
–
soothing
.
t
h
e
.
one
.
y
o
u
.
try
.
t
o
.
deny . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ soothing
.
t
h
e
.
one
.
y
o
u
.
try
.
t
o
.
deny . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
s
o
.
.
.
I
.
t
a
k
e
.
a
leisurely
.
s
t
r
o
l
l
.
outside,
–
–
hoping
.
y
o
u
.
might
change
.
y
o
u
r
.
mind . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ hoping
.
y
o
u
.
might
change
.
y
o
u
r
.
mind,
.
.
t
h
i
s
.
.
time . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
take
.
a
.
drive,
.
.
t
o
.
.
the
other
side . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ to
.
t
h
e
.
other
side . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
o
f
–
–
–
midnight . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
My
.
t
h
i
r
d
.
cigarette
burns
.
a
s
.
your
footsteps
approach,
–
–
unsure
.
a
n
d
.
insecure . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
s
o
–
–
–
I
wine
.
a
n
d
.
dine
.
t
h
o
s
e
.
timid
whispers
tight,
–
–
knowing
.
y
o
u
.
almost
want
.
t
o
.
oblige . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ knowing
.
y
o
u
.
almost
want
.
t
o
.
oblige . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
s
o
.
.
.
I
draw
.
t
h
e
.
phantom
window
blinds
.
o
f
.
a
private
paradise
.
t
h
a
t
.
resides,
.
.
d
e
e
p
.
.
within
.
m
y
.
mind . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
I
.
try
.
t
o
.
pull
.
y
o
u
r
.
body
next
.
t
o
.
mine . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
I
try
.
t
o
.
pull
.
y
o
u
r
.
body
next
.
t
o
.
mine . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
I
try . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
.
.
.
I
try . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
.
.
.
I
try . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
.
.
.
I
try . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
b
u
t
–
–
–
you
pry
.
m
y
.
hands
away . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ you
pry
.
m
y
.
hands
away . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
wrestle
me
.
.
d
o
w
n
.
.
to
.
t
h
e
.
ground,
–
–
anchoring
.
y
o
u
r
.
cool
decline
.
w
i
t
h
.
masculine
pride:
“I could kill you . . .”
–
–
–
.
.
.
“I could kill you in
five minutes time . . .”
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
then
adding
.
t
o
.
the
haze:
“Did you really
think I was gay ?”
No,
.
o
n
l
y
.
confused . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
b
u
t
–
–
–
if
.
I
.
c
a
n
.
get
through
.
t
o
.
you,
.
.
w
e
.
.
might
.
j
u
s
t
.
somehow
.
f
i
n
d
.
a
way . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ we
might
.
f
i
n
d
.
a
way
.
t
o
.
make
.
i
t
.
true . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
“You’re a very
attractive man . . .”
–
–
–
.
.
.
s
o
–
–
–
excuse
.
m
e
.
if
.
I
.
choose
.
n
o
t
.
to
understand,
.
.
t
h
e
.
.
reasons
.
y
o
u
.
refuse
.
t
o
.
join
.
m
e
.
in
.
t
h
e
.
dance . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
Meet
.
m
e
.
later
tonight,
.
.
i
f
.
.
you
think
.
y
o
u
.
might
like
.
t
o
.
take
.
a
.
drive,
.
.
t
o
.
.
the
other
side
.
o
f
.
midnight . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
No
.
o
n
e
.
ever
.
has
.
t
o
.
know . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
if
.
y
o
u
.
begin
.
t
o
.
feel
afraid,
.
.
a
n
d
.
.
decide
.
y
o
u
.
would
rather
.
b
e
.
alone,
.
.
y
o
u
.
.
can
.
a
l
w
a
y
s
.
go
.
b
a
c
k
.
home . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ you
.
c
a
n
.
go
.
b
a
c
k
.
home . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
I
.
d
o
.
not
.
m
i
n
d
.
sailing
.
f
r
o
m
.
room
.
t
o
.
room,
.
.
s
o
.
.
long
.
a
s
.
I
.
can
.
b
e
.
next
.
t
o
.
you . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ so
long
.
a
s
.
I
.
can
.
b
e
.
next
.
t
o
.
you . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
I
.
d
o
.
not
mind
.
y
o
u
r
.
restless
moods,
.
.
f
r
o
m
.
.
blue
.
t
o
.
maroon . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
from
maroon
.
t
o
.
blue . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
s
o
–
–
–
let’s
both
.
j
u
s
t
.
release
.
o
u
r
.
hold . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
explore
where
.
t
h
e
.
rapids
go . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ let‘s
.
e
x
p
l
o
r
e
.
where
.
t
h
e
.
rapids
go . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
f
o
r
–
–
–
if
today,
.
.
f
r
o
m
.
.
me
.
y
o
u
.
decide
.
t
o
.
turn
away . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
y
o
u
–
–
–
may
never
.
s
e
e
.
me
again
.
m
y
.
friend,
–
–
except
within
.
t
h
e
.
taunting
scenes,
.
.
o
f
.
.
your
wild
.
a
n
d
.
restless
dreams . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
s
o
–
–
–
let’s
try
.
t
o
.
make
.
i
t
.
real,
–
–
just
.
t
o
.
see
how
.
i
t
.
feels,
–
–
before
we
.
e
a
c
h
.
pursue
another . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ before
we
.
e
a
c
h
.
pursue
another . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ before
we
.
e
a
c
h
.
pursue
another . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
I
appeal
.
t
o
.
your
.
violent
disguise
.
o
f
.
virile,
.
egotistic
pride,
.
.
a
n
d
.
.
suddenly
.
y
o
u
r
.
curiosity
.
engages
mine . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
Your
curiosity
.
engages
mine . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
Your
curiosity
.
engages
mine . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
Your
curiosity
.
engages
mine . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
Your
curiosity
.
engages
mine . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
a
n
d
–
–
–
we
.
b
o
t
h
.
come
.
t
o
.
realize,
–
–
that
.
i
t
.
matters
.
n
o
t
.
whether
.
w
e
.
can
shine
.
f
o
r
.
longer
.
t
h
a
n
.
one
night . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
because
first
.
w
e
.
must
take
.
t
h
e
.
secret
drive,
.
.
a
n
d
.
.
explore
.
t
h
e
.
distant
shores . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ explore
.
t
h
e
.
distant
shores . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
which
forever
.
r
e
s
i
d
e
.
on
.
t
h
e
.
other
side . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ the
other
side
.
o
f
.
midnight.
Reflection: This was a romantic-themed poem that I wrote back in December of 1999 in reflection of a tentative, exploratory, forbidden, romantic encounter (someone with the initials B.N) and the repeated false starts checkered by ups and downs and multiple engagements and retreats. It was such a brief but passionate, exciting experience that I would never trade. So, I am much more content with at least having had the experience rather than not.