Color figure 9 – Gweneth Branch-Rice
written by Yvette Doucette
April, 2010
in praise of her
glory be to every finger and toe
praise her knuckles and elbows and knees
praise every freckle and birthmark
let her hear you speak in praise
praise all of her
sing her praise
praise her eyes—grey and ocean green
brown as coffee beans, blue as the wide sky
praise them, praise her eyes
praise her ears
shells that hear the whole sea of world
trace their edges, memorizing
let her hear your tongue praise them
with words praise her
praise her nose, take full measure of her cheeks
her cheekbones under the skin of your fingers
praise her hair sliding across your hands
—linger there
how straight it is, how curly, mmm the feathers of it
press your face into the cloud of it
praise its glory, feel her living skull in your hands
praise her hair, praise her
praise the sweat between her shoulders as she moves
between her breasts, your tongue praising her
let your hands praise her breasts,
your mouth praise the skin beneath them
with your hands praise along her legs
beneath her knees, the hollows there
touch her calves, her smooth skin, her ankles
praise her ankles, learn ankle, ankle, ankle
praise the strength of her feet, praise her
let her hear your tongue speaking
with words praise her
without words praise her
murmur praise always, and always and ever
praise her strong thighs and buttock
praise the mound of her pubis
praise the curve of her lower back, the dimples there
praise her spine, the slope of her shoulders
her neck rising up and up, praise her neck
praise the artistry of her chin, her jawline
hear her throat vibrate with song
feel her body singing to you
praise her body’s song
lift your head, raise your voice, praise her
let every sound be a supplication, tribute, homage
glory is all around you, she is all around you
praise her, raise up your voice
praise her mouth—two halves of heaven
praise the strength in her arms
the softness of her skin, the silk of her hair
praise her body, praise her
praise her collarbones, wings of shoulder blades
curve of hips, praise her from head to feet
let her hear your tongue praise her with words
praise each rounded limb
each bone, each inch of skin
hear her body singing
praise her without words
praise her spine, the slope of her shoulders
her neck rising up and up and up
praise her praise it all
her glory is, her glory is
let her hear your tongue speaking
murmur praise always, always
amen
amen
amen
say it with me now
amen
amen
amen
amen
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