Hammaming In Maroc!
A small inconsequential door
Marks our entry
To a unique shared experience
Centuries old
Age & youth
Arab & western
Come together
Side by side
We sit
In each other’s slops!
We bath
Uncovered
Exposed
You
Comfortable in your bareness
Within this hidden interior
A stark contrast
To your veiled appearance
On the streets!
For us
The reverse
Comfortable in our bareness
Unclothed on the streets
We quiver
With self consciousness
When bare
In the company of our sisters!
For you
No need to flaunt
No need to taunt
You are comfortable
Within your being
Expressed
Thru brush strokes
As you groom each other
With the tenderness of lovers
Strangers side by side
You share this moment
Cleansing
Purifying
Almost a sacred
Silent ritual
But so much
Knowing is exchanged
There is a shift
Upon our presence
As we enter
Our awkwardness
Amusement
For the locals
The spell
Temporarily broken
Reweaves itself
All eyes turn
As we slip & slide
Nervous laughter
Shadows our discomfort
We feel exposed
And out of place
And yet
The warm steamy atmosphere
Is strongly safe & secure
Slowly we relax
Into the strong hands
That twist & turn our bodies
Deftly navigating our curves
Without being too personal
Or intimate
The layers wash away
Not just skin!
We are cleansed
Mentally
Emotionally
Spiritually
Physically!
We float
Back into
The maddening crowds
Of Fez
But we are different
Our spirits are glowing
We are heartfelt
And knowing
Feeling divinely alive
And floaty
We slip gently
Back into
The ebb & flow
Of the medina