Leather and Feathers

My battle with less is more continues and then I had an epiphany!

This started out as a tiny story which I had to condense into something smaller. I huffed and I puffed and I almost blew the house down…..sorry I got side-tracked into a children’s story there…that’s what my mind has been like all week. Anyway, I was adamant that I was going to post both the less and the more, the poem and the prose. But just as I was about to upload I re-read the story…..and …..I liked….the poem….more!

So Dear Readers (I really must stop watching Bridgerton). I am going to do us all a favour and post just the poem! That’ll save you an extra 5 minutes! Think of what you’ll do with all that time! Happy reading!

Leather and Feathers - The Poem

She climbed the stairs,

stomach taut like a drum. 

She knew she had to bare her soul

And worse - Her body

Her freckles an abstract dot to dot.

Should she run?

Yes! said her Anxious angel

Feathers flapping

Tulle skirt trembling

‘It’s a NO from me’

Her bad ass angel growled – a leather glove

Studded, pushing her forward

She turned to go but was

thwarted by the opening door,

his open heart, magnetic eyes

pointing to true north

‘Come in’

The threshold opened then

An interlude

A gap

in which her fears fizzed until

He brought tea.

She drank slowly nibbling chocolate fingers

he declined – to keep his hands clean he said

She swallowed nervously

‘Please undress?’ his voice clear

The slightest tilt of her head

Showed compliance

She stood -  a shy foal,

limbs criss-crossed, to cover skin.  He knelt,

and she held his shoulders stepping into white folds. 

He teased it over her gentle curves,

slipping pale arms into delicate lace

tiny pearls - elbow to wrist which he looped with a deep intent. 

She breathed in while he coaxed lace sides tenderly

Delighted fingertips travelling

from neck to spine.  Lingering

‘The buttons!   She smiled an apology.

‘My pleasure’ his eyes danced with hers

He touched her shoulder unfurling lace 

Electric through her core

She lost balance but he held her firm.

‘It’s perfect’ she said sadly, ‘my wedding dress’

‘but…I won’t see you again’, anguish rising.

Hot hands around her waist, drawing her in.

‘Not necessarily’ he said kissing her neck, a glint in his eye.