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