the elements of thrill

what makes your skeleton rattle

is it the anticipation of a victorious afterward
when you have learned a truth about him and

you will watch him lie about it

without his even stopping to breathe

is it the abuse of power when he

does come to you with lowered head

and admits he has made a mistake

and you say too bad too late

is it the quiver of your flesh when you

pass by the house of your lover

knowing he might be at a window

watching you secretly from behind

is it dressing in the dark and
escaping to meet clandestinely

or the triumphal abandon

of getting caught

is it the tremor in your gut when you are

behind closed doors within closed rooms

indulging in what you know is

forbidden but desirable

is it the sharing of the

promise of a secret

or the moment of

its shattering

is it the heinous desire to

burst out laughing at a funeral

or the twisted need to

be laughed at

the ardent glance of zealous worship

or the icy gaze of remote disinterest

the resolve of succumbing to rapture

or the defeat of succumbing to fatigue

the perfume of liquid sex

or the odor of rotting carnage

the arrival at your final destination

or the transformation you endured to get there

the blanketed punch of climax

or the marmalade zigzag of holding back

thrill

the moment is

delicious

intoxicating

agitated electricity

and the effect is a

soothed

relaxed

transported ripple