Eloise Klein Healy

Daring, Darling?

Darling, I used to love
meeting a new friend,
but learning again

to get a grip
right through my heart,
deeper than my breath.

What you and I knew
more daring you showed me,
but what flew my love away

suddenly missed me.
But darling, here we are.

Daring still.




Palm Springs

Watching a couple of girls
laughing loudly, splashing,
swimming to the edge.
It isn’t only the pool.

What I know is you and me
watching all the women,
but really, we’re standing closer,
feeling everything else.

I knew it was heat
swelling me in inside,
her arms around me,
sweet as she’s warm.

This is everything later.
All in the bedroom.
Deeper than our bodies.
Swimming to it all.





Eloise Klein Healy, the author of nine books of poetry, was named the first Poet Laureate of Los Angeles in 2012. She was the founding chair of the MFA in Creative Writing Program at Antioch University Los Angeles. Her forthcoming book, A Brilliant Loss, will be published in 2022.