"Good Skin" (Poetry)

                        ... that’s what he said to me
as though it was a matter of quite pleased
but almost unexpected discovery
by this very personable young man
his hands massaging my face
in that so widely open
and entirely public place
in the few days running up to Christmas

Just a demo of a newfangled device
with lights designed to tone a tired complexion
and I did admit to him
the moisturizing cream smelled rather nice
while he gave me all his salesman chat
and rubbed the sample in
the strange intimacy of it struck me
his fingers firm but gentle on my skin

All this and me so conscious
I must be more than twice his age
as he pattered on and on — his pitch
now near the final stage
again the compliment “you have
good skin” — which made me smile a bit
I think he knew I knew
that he said much the same thing
                                        to all the girls ...