Shameless
Beneath that sudden gasp of light
Leaking in between the curtains—I see
Your thigh—peeking out from under
The crumpled covers—out from under
Yesterday morning’s jeans, last night’s sweat,
This morning’s doubt—out from under
Your name and mine,
Out from under drunken dreams,
Worried knuckles, and the shame
Those sixth-grade kids heaved upon
Your budding breasts, your bloodstained
Pants—and I feel, all of a sudden,
Naked, new-born, free.
William Waters is an associate professor in the English Department at University of Houston-Downtown. His research and teaching interests are in writing theory and practice, the History of English Language, linguistics and modern grammar. He coauthored Destination Dissertation with Sonja Foss, and continues to present writing workshops for faculty and graduate students working on dissertations, books, and publications. Dr. Waters earned his Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition from the University of New Mexico and previously taught at the University of Maine, Orono, University College in Galway Ireland, and Cheongbuk National University in Korea.