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      January 29, 2022Stud at the Gym PoolElizabeth Degenhardt

      He comes—we don’t talk or make contact—he goes.
      This, for me, is the perfect love affair. My custom tragedy.
      So much unsaid and I saw it bursting from him as he entered
      the water, parted it sloppily—saw his need in the chopping of his
      arms, the sputter of his kicking. Heard gurgling love signs but
      could decipher nothing—only the watery shape, the holes for
      eyes in the dark water—the chiseled illuminated face.
      I keep on crawling and turning, crawling and turning around
      and crawling—but I get no closer to him—
      and he stays in his own lane—
      our paths don’t cross, yet I can see the golden
      hair on his legs, the chest in the churning, the bulb
      of his penis hung upside down in the water—he can see my
      breasts. Then he leaves, out—to his towel—he sops up every
      memory of me from his broad shoulders, strong from efforts
      never consummated—gorgeous with the flailing exercise.

      from Issue #8 - Winter 1997

      Elizabeth Degenhardt

      “Los Angeles poet, playwright, swimmer, Flamenco dancer …”