This is not love

[moptop]

This is the first poem I have written for a long time. I am very happy that this space exists and hope you will welcome me in. I am certainly enjoying reading through the poems posted here. Thanks
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This is not love

A smile, long silence -
A shared comfortable space of quiet.
A soft reassuring touch of hand on arm
Or back or thigh.
A sigh.
Content.

This is not love

Secret words exchanged and understood
In a private split-second look
Laughter lust trust questions answers
fears comfort hope faith promise promises
joy joy
joy

This is not love

The heart flutters as the eye,
Unseen, unknown,
Traces the shape of a brow,
A jaw, a shoulder, any part,
With fragile trembling tenderness

This is not love

[Warbaby1943]

Good piece but it sounds like love to me.

[ElectricBadger]

Really really nice, moptop!

I loved the line-
Laughter lust trust questions answers
-the play on sounds of the first three words was great (alliteration to rhyme).

I'm also really curious about the situation -- care to elaborate? I'm imagining either impossible love, or love spurned....

[moptop]

Hi, guys - thanks for the replies, I appreciate it.

ElectricBadger - mostly it's trying to maintain control over myself. New situation. Considerable age gap and I'm the older woman - never been with a younger man before - I don't want to hold him back or scare him off. And I don't want to get hurt. So, it's fear, uncertainty, not wishing to impose. Thank you for appreciating the language.

[moptop]

Just for ElectricBadger, these are a few words that never seemed to need more said but I suppose can't really be called a poem. But you like word sounds.

Lips slip
Fingers linger
Heart starts

[ElectricBadger]

Ooo very nice moptop, thank you! And good luck with your beau, I'm sure you'll have wonderful times -- it sounds like you're approaching things carefully and considerately.