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the things i do for love

If you do not have previous experience with Chinese culture or medicine, be prepared for a cultural experience that can not only relieve your medical condition, but enrich your life.
FROM THE DESK OF EARL STONER: After last week's brutal assault on my person, I was forced to seek acupuncture from Dr. Gu. Does this stuff work?

originally posted by daiichi

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Acupuncture (a poem)



He calls acupuncture

poking, as in

"I'll pick you up after

your poking."

The doctor is a small blond

woman with warm wrinkles

like feathers

along the sides of her face.

She's surprised that it's my

first time,...

I'm so calm.



The first poke startles me

as the thin needle

punches in like my skin

is the wrong side of velvet.

I lie on my stomach

imagining needles

rising from my back like

porcupine quills,

feeling my blood

rushing faster

friction warming my veins

like fault lines

rumbling, ready to

unearth a new era.

There is no pop when they

come out

only the barest tingle.

When I lie on my back

I keep raising my hand

marvelling at the slender

metal balancing on my

wrist.

This side doesn't take so long;

he must be out there

waiting to take me

for my next poking.



Leaving the office I float

6 inches up.

The scuttle of a leaf

along concrete draws

my attention

yet I no longer hear

the city.

I'm glad he's driving.



Later, when he touches me,

my lines go liquid

my body melting up

along his as I flow

into his mouth.

I tingle, simmer then

boil for hours under

him, my earthquake

not registering on

any scale

my songlines

drawing music from him

shaking him as he

clings to me like Earth

hoping and fearing

to be swallowed

by the tremors.



Heather Shaw, 7/29/99

Hm, based on my Gu'ing, the former Mrs. Stoner just had her first poking today. And liked it. Dr. Maoshing, Tao of Wellness.

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