Safe Sex

　　by Donald Hall

　　 If he and she do not know each other， and feel confident

　　 they will not meet again； if he avoids affectionate words；

　　 if she has grown insensible skin under skin； if they desire

　　 only the tribute of another's cry； if they employ each other

　　 as revenge on old lovers or families of entitlement and steel-

　　 then there will be no betrayals， no letters returned unread，

　　 no frenzy， no hurled words of permanent humiliation，

　　 no trembling days， no vomit at midnight， no repeated

　　 apparition of a body floating face-down at the pond's edge

　　-