"Shy Men" by Shannon Rayne

I love shy men! Not self-assured ones.
Self-assured men press their lips
between your thighs as if they have done this task
a thousand times
their breath
unshaken
their hips
rocking your bed-
posts to predict-
able patterns
(without syncopation
without hesitation)
even their spon-tan-e-i-t-y
is planned.
There are no surprises with a self-assured man.
They reach forward for your first kiss
as easily
as reaching for a remote control
tapping and pressing knobs and buttons
they were taught would turn you on
moving towards your body
with a swiftness often mistaken for confidence
with no time to hesitate
no time to stop and gaze with a childhood sense of wonder
at the lips and curves
he is about to kiss for the first time.
But, shy men always hesitate.
His desire to kiss you
has been swelling in his blood for weeks on end
painting his lips red
every time your hand brushes against his
his eyes of studied the contour of the freckles
lining your chin
he has lingered near the nape of your neck
for so long
he can name every flower that has ever scented your skin
and he has thought about touching you so often
he barely knows how to say your name anymore
and he won’t kiss you
not until the anticipation of the taste of his lips
completely overwhelms your senses
all you can talk about, think about, dream about
is him
and that is exactly when you will kiss
at the perfect intersection
between the anticipation of his touch
and completely giving up
both of you
surrendering to the silence
surrounding his prolonged hesitation
swallowing it whole.

Shannon Rayne is a writer with a deep love for the stage and artistic collaboration. Her poetry has been performed or co-presented with visual art, live music, contemporary dance and was recently transformed into a text based mixed media art exhibit. Shannon has performed at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, Under the Volcano Festival, at the Heart in the City Festival, and at Vancouver Slam events. Her work has appeared in Quills Magazine and is forthcoming in the Feathertale Review, Memewar Magazine and in an anthology featuring Dinosaur Porn Poetry (yes, dinosaurs!). Shannon leads performance and creative writing workshop in schools and in Vancouver’s vibrant Downtown Eastside every chance she gets. Contact her at Shannon.Rayne.Poetry at gmail.com