oregonnerd: differing views

For John Varley

December 25, 2018 at 6:45 pm Leave a comment

For John Varley

Immersed once in silvery
reflections (how smooth
this metallic mask, this muse!)
in that cavern
(resting on quicksilver
on Mercury),
entranced, i was moved
(but we were trapped, and oxygen
was short) to touch your breast,
recreate that fearsome beast.
(I thought my desire
‘incestuous.’)

Did you sense my momentary
desire
behind my suit’s silvery mask?–you offered,
and i rejected.
How odd to find later that both desire
and rejection
were directed at myself!
______________________________________________________
This is based on one of his short stories, and genetic doppelgangers, spare bodies meant to be kept mindless, and…I won’t give you any more of it. He was fascinated by the whole thing for quite a while.

Entry filed under: poetry, social psychology. Tags: for john varley, poetry from voices.