“What were we thinking?”

Meanwhile -- I mean, at the same time we were finally getting naked together -- Debbie had a throat infection which turned into strep.  Monday she texted me about it.  I called her and we talked for a bit.  She pointed out that she should have known better because she already knew she had a sore throat when we lay down together; and that yes, strep can indeed be transmitted by oral sex.  (Ooops.)  She added that maybe we should have talked about STDs too, just to be cautious, although she was sure that she was clean on her side.  (The things I had told her about Wife made her less sure about me.)  And she added, amused but a bit ruefully, “What were we thinking? We were just like a couple of teenagers.”

Well yes, that we were.  And it was fun, too.  But I liked the phrase, and started mulling it.  And two days later, on Wednesday, I sent her this:

"What were we thinking, falling into bed,

"Like teenagers who have no better sense?

"We know infections oft' like that are spread,

"With age and caution sure our best defense.

"Besides we'd made ourselves a pact to wait

"Till I my ring and baggage should remove

"Into a cleanly separated state –

"So no-one in the world could disapprove!"

So squeaks the voice of prudence, high and thin.

But how can I be prudent, loving you?

My fingers thrill to touch your tender skin,

And feel your kindness radiating through.

That passion’s folly, no-one will deny,

For prudent love’s akin to freezing fire.

Yet even godly Plato praised most high

This lunacy divine that draws us higher.

Against this passion gods defenseless strove.

Love’s spell ensorcells me no less than Jove.

The next time we talked she expressed amazement at getting more poetry, and said she liked this one even better than the last one … but that it is so very personal she couldn’t imagine letting anybody else see it.  I replied that, after all, viewed from one angle the whole point of poetry is to court beautiful women.

And she said just, “It’s working.”