First Evening

Her clothes were almost off;

Outside, a curious tree

Beat a branch at the window

To see what it could see

Perched on my enormous easy chair

Half nude, she clasped her hands

Her feet trembled on the floor

As soft as they could be

I watched as a ray of pale light

Trapped in the tree outside

Danced from her mouth

To her breast, like a fly on a flower

I kissed her delicate ankles

She had a soft, brusque laugh

That broke into shining crystals -

A pretty little laugh

Her feet ducked under her chemise;

'Will you please stop it!…'

But I laughed at her cries -

I knew she really liked it

Her eye trembled beneath my lips;

They closed at my touch

Her head went back; she cried:

'Oh, really! That's too much!

'My dear, I'm warning you…'

I stopped her protest with a kiss

And she laughed, low -

A laugh that wanted more than this…

Her clothes were almost off;

Outside, a curious tree

Beat a branch at the window

To see what it could see