Painting Her in Bed

fitting a naked woman into a square frame
(if she's a mature woman is she still a dame?)
that is the last thing i wanted to do
but the old woman who lived in a shoe
knew there was always one breast too much
or a belly or an ass or a hip and such
and the thigh
in several sketches elicited a man's sigh
for there wasn't any more room for all the flesh
squeezed as tightly as possible inside black mesh
and now her eyes staring straight ahead
made her look like a dangerous female instead
of a tall slim methodical curve
(around which i might stupidly swerve)
keeping time, in perfect rhythm, feet together
her movements unaffected by the weather
she looked perfectly balanced and serious
smooth, diplomatic, almost, dare i say, imperious
but certainly alluring and fit
and i'd like to get a piece of it
with my head in my hands and not missing a word that's said
all this time i'm thinking of painting her in bed.