Geoff Stevens

DECADENCE IN ART DECO SURROUNDINGS


Light glows in the darkened room
through a yellowed celluloid fret
the dial set at the defunct Radio Hilvershum
and tuned to dim

You lie in the aftermath of sex with him
the smell of attraction-satisfied
blending with the dry perfume
of your cocktail cigarette

and his sickly and exhausted cigar smell
Sweat fills the room like wet Aluminium
and red neon oscillates from a sign for Craven A
as raindrops on the window stretch with gravity

and slip like transparent snails down to the ledge.

You put your arms above your head
lift and display small perfect breasts
limpetted to your bony chest
He reaches across as if to tweak your programming.

Automatically you pout at him and raise your lips
expect a kiss.