the sky is dry-
dusty under
roaring
sun; and the slap-slap-slap
of rope sole shoes on
mud-caked, hard-baked red
clay roads
is soft, but still
a
metronome beating
your pace.
as you walk-walk-walk
through the habble-gabble
market sounds of
tuesday
yes, it is tuesday
three days
wed.
a
bubble-happy feeling --
floating.
gold for the lady mister?
oh, your wife?
then silver maybe.
giggly laughter erupting
from the long-
white oh-so-kissable
throat of the
lady-in-question as
the hawker,
skilfully,
snakes a silver rope
around it.
she turns to haggling
russet hair bobbing
-shining
the sun caught;
trapped in
it as she
shakes-shakes-nods
you lucky man, mister
your lovely wife
she hard bargainer.
you know.
you envy him the touch
of her slim-
smooth fingers as she
drops
coins into his palm.
her touch belongs
,now and always,
to you.