An Ode to Condoms

Could anyone measure
the ecstasy and passion granted
to humanity by this contraceptive sheath—
catching the soul as it flees from the body?

How many people, indeed, are freed
from the fears of physical
deterioration brought by risky intimacy?
Still, not nearly enough.

Although Brahmacharya teaches us
divinity comes from complete
abstinence of one’s sexuality, Rumi teaches
attraction is the Godhead in action.

As hopeful we may be that someday
our girl parts and our boy parts will be pure
and without biohazardous implication;
perhaps then, the names of boy parts and girl parts

will not be used as pejoratives.
All bad words are bad words
because sometime in history
the signified caused death and pain.

Let us not be afraid,
for the rubber is the barrier
and quite possibly the containment
of all the death and pain

caused by our desires—
the desire to share the self
when our cup runneth over
at the sight of a tall drink of water.