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For The First Time - My Song of Songs
by Christopher Ingham

A piece inspired by a reading of Solomon's Song of Songs in an attempt to
make a school church service at least palatable.

I sat, duty bound, listening
Dully to the parson's droning
Voice, whilst children shuffled restless
Under the watchful eyes of those
Enforcers of conformity.

Idly flicking through the Bible,
I came across the Song of Songs.
Something inside me stirred and rose
Vivid in imagination.
"Behold thou art [most] fair, my love."

The hymn came, I stood, still transfixed
Until I felt your touch on my arm.
Smiling, you offered to share your
Hymn book. I felt my blood thicken,
As I saw you for the first time.

Our fingers brushed beneath the book,
And I could feel you drawing me
Into a vortex of desire
Against which I vainly struggled.
You smiled, smouldered triumphantly.

As I seemed to hear you intone
The words of the poet Solomon
"Set me as a seal upon thy
Heart, as a seal upon thy arm,
For Love is strong as death."
Falling into the depths of your
Eyes, I am yours for the first time.

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