In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

11 The Gentle Man In the tender hands Of the gentle man, Love grows like a rose Whose petals open to show The woman he knows. And soft is his touch That strokes her skin— This slow, kind act For which she wishes To grant him forgiveness The moment he asks it. She wonders where he learned The lost art of hesitation, How kiss and caress differ In every conceivable way And why one of his glances Makes her knees quiver. Each night she prays He will never go away, Leaving her vacant and dry, Unable to seize the desire Which waits so patiently In the tender hands Of the gentle man. ...

Share