"Illuminated" a poem by Jess Coffman

He looks away from me,
Searching.
Unintentionally calling my attention
Right to him.
To this vulnerable quiet spot.

His skin, like still, full-fat cream
With a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Slowly swirling, hypnotically. 
Fixing me to that beautiful spot. 

I love a man's neck. 
The thickness of the muscle,
The smooth tenderness,
Anchoring his philosophies,
And supporting his curiosities.   

I love that small, pure softness,
Behind his ear,
In between his beard and hairline. 
Untouched by manhood. 
A sacred unseen place to him.
A remnant of his childhood. 

Not a place of insecurity,
Nor a place to pamper.
Just an unassuming, enticing space
For my tongue to playfully enjoy.
Or my eyes to fantasize upon,
when my tongue cannot. 

A secret smile curls in my Being.
A knowingness of desire, impatience,
and uninhibited wildness, encircles my brow.
And though my heart is calm 
And strong thighs still,
My feet want to flit and point me 
Right to the breadth and hearth,
Of the nearest, 
blazing and engulfing 
romance.

And my feet eventually do move,
But not in the direction of the nearest flame.
Lead by my calm heart and strong thighs,
My feet abide and take me home. 
Where I eat a quiet meal, 
And plan the next day's adventures. 

Because when I clear a small meadow in my head,
amidst the forest of noisy and natural 
Human voices of desire, 
I can actually listen 
to the wisest part of me,
the Being part of me.
The Being part of me, that has 
Unending, recyclable compassion and patience. 
The Being part of me, that points in the Direction of the Sun, 
which illuminates a path leading to 
wholeheartedness and hope. 

The Being part of me lovingly reminds that 
the next neck I yearn for, 
I want to be unquestioningly in love
With the thoughts in that man's head. 
I want that smooth, thick neck to be supporting
An expansive mind, leaden with compassion,
The tools for discovering personal truth,
and an adventurer's pack,
carried steadily by
a calm heart and strong thighs. 

So for now, the Being part of me, 
Will continue to ask politely for my 
Human feet to take me home.

And I'll wake each day 
and walk in the Direction of the Sun,
With a calm heart and strong thighs.
Allowing myself the time and space to rest,
and sometimes get lost and find my way back. 
Hoping one day, when I'm on my path, 
A fellow traveller's path will meet mine.

And I'll gaze upon his beautiful neck,
As he gazes in the Direction of the Sun. 
My calm heart will be full, 
And my strong thighs will recognize the strength in his. 
And the Being part of me,
Won't have to tell my Human feet anything all. 
We'll just walk together, 
Emblazoned and Illuminated. 

JESS COFFMAN

Thank-you to the man in line next to me at the 3rd Ave Trader Joe's last night, with the beautiful neck that inspired this poem. It has given me a great deal of understanding and peace. 

This sculpture was captured within The First Street Green Art Park in NYC on the Lower East Side. 

It was created by Stuart Ringholt and is entitled "Signpost."

It was so evocative to me.