Seduction Poem by Alison Croggon (1962- )

I have come across this poem so many times in recent weeks it now speaks so deeply to me - it is erotic, evocatively basic without the use of base language - and I am in love with it.


I want the slew of muscle, a less
cerebral meeting place; no word
but your male shout, the slurred
unpublic face and honest skin
crying to me, yes,
the mouthless, eyeless tenderness
crying to be let in.

Unbutton all your weight, like a bird
flying the night’s starred nakedness:
put down your grammatical tongue, undress
your correct and social skin:
come white and absurd
all your language one word
crying to be let in


Alison Croggon