making love

Hollie McNish

cheapest room in the hotel
no windows on the wall
but the bath was hot and full, and you were in it

smiling, silhouetted,
lips already sweating,
arms curving out a space where i should sit

and so i stripped, lay back against you
shadows steaming, saying nothing,
occasionally kissing as we hugged

how strange it is i thought
as we dried our gasping bodies
that this is not considered making love

First published in Issue #30

Hollie McNish is a poet and author. Her most recent book is Lobster.