Male

We walk beside the sea
shadows emerging from darkness
rolling in on mist

our smell is everywhere and it is rank
it is the scent of sex
and all our senses are subsumed by lust

we are men.

Strangers
we are
boys
bonding in play
dogs
we are
boys and we are dogs

we smell
each other coming
seek
each other out
tease flesh
toy with anonymity
seize the moment

we are men
we play.

Pose
loiter
steal kisses after sex
some times before
some times passion
laugh
confide
quick quiet conversations
in which I come to know you
and you me
in ways few others do.

The night allows us intimacy without fear
it fosters it

fleeting moments
that will do for now

though they never do for life
they do for now

we are men
we move on.

Rain erupts from the mist
wind from the sea

we scatter.

I sit alone
watching the rain roll over
the waves rolling in
whispering

sheltered but wet
rained on

I whisper back

nothing in childhood prepared me for the burden.

A shadow crosses my periphery
a man sits at the other end of a solitary bench
looking without looking
glancing
smoking

I reach out
he responds
we expose ourselves
explore
open our mouths

we kiss.

Nothing facilitates romance like desperation.

We are men.