They … love like alchemists
choosing costly feeling shades
from their essential palate
reduced in the immediate
to rare precious elements
they refine like lead to gold.
She … pinches saffron pistils
in cool morning harvests
their moist crimson threads
she finger tips from crocus
to distill a golden savor
to increase their passion.
He … plucks iridescent beetles
from arid desert cacti
choice dew sipping jewels
he pestles in a mortar
with salt and oil to scarlet
for their lips and kisses.
They … from Grecian cliffs
pick spiny snails
to milk for Tyrian dye.
They … stain purple love knots
upon each other’s wrists
and a place upon the neck
to reify lacunae.
Bonnie Marshall
Artwork by Peter Lee
Proem... 
Lovely silky colours to it all.
Pleased you think so, Simon. Smiles…
Magic, of course.
Thinking … perhaps this one needs some brew time for eventual revision, and I’m grateful you like it. I value your comments immensely, Sharon.
I love this one…just the thought of this much originality and organic passion in romantic “foreplay”… WOW Bonnie!
Satisfying fun, Jana. Thinking we’ll be ninety and still dash off a few lines. Thinking that writing poetry keeps our minds young. Smiles…