The Edge of You

the edge of you –
where the edge of you meets the slip of the sheet meeting your skin
not pink, not white or grey, but mottled, many-coloured,
  tinged almost yellow here, almost brown there and painted too
painted with the colour of my lips, there and there and there
where my lips have touched your skin, are touching your skin
where I leave a trace of me on you, the tiny shade of a kiss
where my breath touches your skin.

the edge of you, turned away from me, angry, cold,
words pouring furious from a scornful mouth.
I’m sorry.

the edge of you, turning to me, into me, on to me
turning me, me into you and back again.
the edge of you is me and you, and that edge is refined, refound, defined –
the edge of you is me, here.

the edge of you
you at the edge
the end of you
the sheet, pulled up, pulled over –
not yet, not just yet, one more kiss on your skin, shading your skin
my kiss shading your graying skin, your cooling skin –

the edge of the end of you.