My ALS Girlfriend
Amyotophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive disease of the nerves that controls skeletal muscles.  It does not affect intelligence of the senses.

Her head hangs back.
She is dough-soft and heavy.
I knead her; roll and twist her.
We drool together.

Fueled by sex's urgent nerves, her eyes fire
and suck blue into lucid white
that shows here where I work,
shows her how her skin tastes.
Behind limp limbs she feels control.

When I am done
I dress her in the doll's clothes,
white scarf and long sleeves,
that they cloth her with to hide
the daughter they think living-dead.
I dab her gaping mouth clean,
but beneath the costume I leave
the evidence of my attentions
to let them know that she is still alive.

Before Lou Gehrig bore her down,
she danced but never tangled
with those who wanted more.
She never knew.
Now she begs me, with fumbling lips,
and I give her everything I want.