HOW SHALL I EXPLAIN YOU?.

"I'd like you to meet my room-mate... A friend of mine said...

How shall I explain you, to family, to friends, to those who'd never understand?

"Yes, she is a nice girl, we get along rather well

living with another woman is so difficult you know..." She is beautiful in the dawn-light when, sleeping,

her cheek grazes my arm

and the soft rise and fall of her breasts fills me with desire.

"With the price of housing what it is in the city,

it certainly makes things easier to split the rent..." How my heart swells with tenderness when she,

no head for figures,

brings to me proudly a carefully plotted

budget for our month.

"Well of course we have our arguments

it's impossible to have a room-mate without some dissention . . ." We sit for hours sometimes sullenly, not speaking,

shouting angry words

slamming doors or weeping, until a glance

melts her in my arms.

"No, we don't go out too much, we're both homebodies..

we read a lot, or talk, or watch television . . ."

Evenings we stretch out side by side on the rug

before the hi-fi,

barely touching hands, until passion

drives us early to bed.

"There's no point rushing into marriage until you meet the right man we're company for each other..." Weekends we plan the future, Europe, California,

Our own business,

matching little finger rings

signify forever.

"Yes, I'm fortunate to have found such a compatible room-mate we really get along well, she's my best friend..."

Finding her was my fate's finest miracle

a gift from heaven.

How shall I explain you,

my love?

-Carol Bradford