Flavia swore as the heavy earthenware pitcher slipped from her hands and crashed onto the uneven flagstones. As she knelt in the puddle of tepid water and started gathering in the pieces, she heard the rapidly approaching footfall of an armed legionary.

‘Leave that now, there’s no time. We ride for York immediately.’
‘But mea domina...’
‘The Wall is breached. Hurry, puella, or she'll start without you!’

Flavia picked up her sodden skirts and ran.

                                                           ­  §

I held my breath as the last piece of the Corbridge ewer slid smoothly into place and wondered at the exquisitely crafted motif which encircled the body of this ancient vessel. A procession? A cavalcade? Curious, if not for the men-at-arms, I would have thought it a pageant. And there in a covered wagon a noble woman looking back at a young girl standing on the steps of a villa holding her hem in her hands.

Right off of the 7 train,
Irish Catholic schoolgirls spilling
out of Jahn's like marbles
Their plaid skirts against exposed brick
bellies full of kitchen sink

The produce stand next door
eggs .60 a dozen, milk one dollar
Now converted into a bodega
or maybe even a small
Muslim prayer room

I bought my first album
at a record store on 82nd
The brown paper bags, thin as bible pages
It spun on the Victrola in my
parents' Tudor

The yellowing wallpaper smelled of
my mom's Virginia Slims
And sounded of my dad's Vermouth
His own liver fried
with onions, just as he liked it

Claudia was awakened
By her punk lover
Kissing her ear she giggled
Think he was like a puppy
She coupes his face
And said good morning my sweetheart
Sensei my rose
I want to runaway to Tibet
And I would love if you spent that life with me.
“Boris Romanov as that sounds romantic... I just can’t.
Let me think about it
I have a life here”
She said getting away from him
Quickly
“Claudia Patrick” he pleaded
But she walked out.
Went she walked to her friends appointment
In Manhattan she though she only had her karate,
Her Boris
And three friends
She had nothing else
To lose.
The friend saw Claudia
Coming
And greeted her
Claudia broke down and told
Her friend
About the loving
Yet creepy relationship
And where he wanted to take her
When the friend said that you could email
Them they will still be friends.
That gave some comfort to Claudia
Claudia was allowed to spend the
Night at her friends
Unless it was class or when the friend had to work.
The wealthy friend
Drove her to the dojo keep an eye out
For Claudia’s creep
But he never showed.
She told her the owner of the dojo
That she might be leaving to teach the art
In another land
He understood
Then she spent the night with her
Friend
Not going to class
Until she was safe and made up her mind.
When she started to miss
Boris
And confident enough to deal with him
She came back
To him
Saying that she wanted to be with her punk lover
Even if meant leaving.
Boris felt joy from her words
And they made love.
Her red hair
And complimented
Boris’s blond and blue hair.

The next morning
Claudia looked
At her strange tattoo in her
Right thigh
Hoping he ruined it
No such
Luck.
She was branded
****
Then Boris stirred
Reaching for her
He got up and asked
If she wanted to learn
The karma sutra
And Tantra
She said if he only went to her karate classes since she was
A new instructor
And that she wouldn’t charge him
Maybe for a few kisses.
All morning
Boris taught her everything
Positions
She practiced with him
For most of the day
And
She felt one with him and the universe
While she though this isn’t that
Bad
But great.
As she let out a moan.
“My crazy looking monk!” She said
Endearing.
Kissed him
Leaving for her classes.
He soon followed and attended the lessons
And when his class was over
He watched
As she was being taught
More advanced moves
Ever so gracefully.
That night she got her kisses
And then went back to apartment
To make love
But she soon asked to be
In a strange
Position
Instead
While making out.
The trigger his
Piercings.
They drove her wild
Like an animal.  
As they practiced positions.

Claudia had to
Go to her classes in the dojo
Something she dread
Now
Not that she didn’t love karate
But she wasn’t sure if her love was there
Or not.
When she arrived not finding Boris
She was relieved
Everything went clockwise
Until the end of her lessons
She saw her lover there
Hair spiked
She saw that he
Had a bag full of stuff
He said that he hurt her
She said no
But that she loved her ******.
They kissed
Happily
He said that he though a few nice tattoos would help
Her feel less freaked out.
Though there was one
That he had her get
When they got the tattooists
She was said that she was going
To get some strange writing in the inside
Of her right thigh
That was the tattoo that he wanted
When it was done
She was again a little creeped out it was
Writen in a strange script
And he said
It’s tibetan for Om mani Padme hum
The rest of the ink
The Claudia got
We’re flowers on her neck and chest
And stars for her arms
After the tattoos
The young lovers
Went back
And then Boris gave her some colourful flags not unlike
The ones in the photos.
And some rings.  
Which pit on her fingers
As they walk into the door
They made out
Undressed each other
And then Boris
Dropped the flags
On her neck
And over her shoulders
“My new shrine
And temple...you my love”
Claudia felt touched
And they gently kissed
And he asked about the books
Saying that she might
Want to learn about them
As they kissed
While being in each other’s arms.
Then he got between her
And kiss her on the thigh tattoo
And other places.

Claudia woke up early
While her punk lover was still
Asleep
She snooped around his appartment
And saw something other than
Pictures of rockstars
She saw pictures of Himalayan
Monasteries and scenes with beautiful
Coloured flags
And a shrine to a picture
Of some old
Creepy man in robes and glasses
With no hair.
That explains the wierd books
She thought but was creeped out.
What did she get herself into
And she was going to marry
This guy.
She wanted some answers
Claudia couldn’t wait
She gently rubbed him on the back
Morning love.
When he stirred
She asked him about the creepy shrine
Boris said that he had a plast life
And that she wouldn’t understand
“Try me,” she barked.
He said that he was the 6th Dalai Lama
In one life
And a normal monk in another
He said that he and Claudia
We’re meant for each other
Because their souls met
In his past lives.
Thinking creepy
Claudia
Left for the day
Thinking
If this creep comes to watch me teach
Or whatever great
If he doesn’t show up
Fantastic, it was good while it lasted.
She hung out with her
Friends
She hasn’t seen
Ever since with being
With Boris.

The class ended
Early
And Boris wasn’t there
Claudia started to wonder until she got their appartment
The love nest
And notice a note
A love note
Saying that he would be
A little late
Taking advantage of this she cleaned up
Up dark yet sensual
Lipstick on
And got back into her uniform
Got into bed and then took
Off her bottoms
And waited
While she waited
Claudia read some of his books
She did not know that her beloved
Was into gentle yet wierd love making
When Boris walked in she put the book down
Invited and inencisced him to her
In bed.
When Boris came in
He was able to make out with her
Tenderly
And embracing her
Holding her like gold
That’s when he notice that
She was wearing the top
Part of her uniform
He stoped kissing her mouth
And kissed her flower
And then she took him
But the chin
And rapped her legs
Around his hips
And he made love to her
Claudia said quietly that she
Wanted try some of the things
In his books
Boris didn’t get angry
But overjoyed
And they kissed
“I can teach you think about
The art of love,”
He promised.

“Claudia!!”
Screamed her mother when she saw her new tattoo through the
Shower curtain
Her mother than saw
And recognized the name
Boris
Claudia was terrified
When she got dressed and dried
Her parents
Said that karate
And tattoro
Was one thing
But being with that piece of junk
Was it.
She was cut of and disowned
She had to pack up and leave.
She took her stuff
And went to her punk lover’s appointment
When she was welcomed in
She broke down and cried
She told Boris
And that she will be living in with him
And that she had to teach classes at the dojo.
For money.  
“Wasn’t that your dream?!”
The punk asked.
She said yes but was in a sad way.
They kissed
And then
Made slow love
As his way of comforting her rose.
Soon it was time
For Claudia to go to the dojo
To teach little kids and then go to her classes.
She sadly kissed him
And left.
After Boris when with his merger
Means and bought a sliver rose ring
Thinking that would help.
Went it was her turn to be taught
She waved him in
Letting him watch her.
In awe of her beauty
And grace
Soon he left
When she was done
For the day
He grabbed her into an alley
Proposed to her
With the ring
She cried and said yes
The grosem twosome
Then kissed
And felt each other up
In the alley.
Again Claudia loved the feel
Of his piercings
Against her lips and
When he kissed her face.
At least she was loved.