After Balthus’ 
- After Balthus’ the Street
His knee is too farup the backof her skirt.
His cheek scoursher ear, his hand
clutching herentire forearmas if it were a pipe wrench.
He says he will teachher the bal musette,
his torso compressinglike an accordionat “–ette,” his voice pulsing
from bellow shaketo a sharp tremolo
when he says,“Je ne suis passi vieux.” [End Page 140]
Adam Vines
adam vines is an assistant professor of English at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he is editor of Birmingham Poetry Review and director of the English Honors Program. He is the author of two poetry collections, The Coal Life and According to Discretion, the latter cowritten with Allen Jih.
