What demons hold her tongue
as she dances around
her girlfriends’ questions?

with her arms branching out
in the shadows, only
her nervous laughter
and soft whisper
is heard

is it her fear to ask, to reject,
to hurt or to give?
or is it just her?

she is gentle kisses
and soft bites
but no words

just shame
curled up
inside her gut

she
the night of the valley
she
the kiss of the spider-woman

scared to offer
more than she could give
and less than she would want

she seeks confirmation
she evades it
she kisses hesitantly

finally when her words
are offered
they are soaked up

as though they were
the last trickle
from the ground
in the depth of her drought.

.

..