CONEY ISLAND BOYFRIEND

You buy me Cotton Candy, oh,

Twisting pink upon a stick, and you say,

Touch your lips against the sweetness

And my tongue darts out to lick.

You are lighter than the air, love,

As your pink sugar melts to cream,

And this lovely light confection

Is twice as tasty as my dreams.

You, my Coney Island Boyfriend,

Take us to the Roller Coaster Ticket Man;

You tear it twice, and then, oh softly,

You place the paper in my palm.

My Admission, yes, and yours, take us

To an open car (where you hold my trembling hand);

And we sink slowly down together, ah,

Into that Red and Raucous Ride.

Side by side and skin to skin, we

Ready for the Ride, oh yes,

Bright lights and great confusion that just

Bring me safe into your eyes.

Now locked together, you lean over and

Touch your lips to mine and whisper,

Lover, Don’t be Frightened, Oh no,

I am Right Here by your Side.

I smile and close my eyelids, Love,

And feel your heartbeat in your touch;

It takes me past colored lights and Crowd Noise

Into the Tunnel of Just Us.

As world around us dims, Love,

To you, yes, inside my Carnival;

I take a breath and, then relax, Love,

And we begin that long, long Climb.

Ascending up so slowly, you

Take me sweetly to that height;

Scary but I know (yes, know!) that

We two together will keep me safe.

Up, Up, the pressure builds, Love,

Until we are poised upon the peak,

So far above the others, Lover,

Heart by heart and on the brink.

You say, Oh, God, Yes, this is It now! and

Close your brooklyn eyes of brown;

Our car positioned, we nudge slow, Love,

Into the dip that draws us down.

I hold my breath and pray, yes, but

I never really fear; no, no shiver of a doubt,

Even I have learned to trust, oh,

Yes, even I have learned to Shout.

And Cry Out, oh, yes I do, Love,

As you take me down that slope;

Rushing wind and rainbowed crowds blur

And my Heart is beating in my throat.

We rip right through the atmosphere

Tearing right on past my terror ‘til

I dare to open up my eyes, Love, to see us

Balanced light upon that ribboned rail.

Dear God, my Love, the lights flash!

And the solid earth is far below,

But you wipe away the tear and fear

And, yes Love, I really, truly Know.

I know that you will comfort me, as my

Cry escapes my throat, a sound,

As our twin hands and hearts grow tight

And we hurtle faster toward the ground.

I know the joy is in the danger, Love,

The thrill is in the feel, oh yes, and the

Friction of descent, but Lover,

Your love has let me open up my eyes.

So I ride your steely rails, my Love,

I let you drive me up and down;

Climbing high we pierce the sky,

Only to fly down fast and wild.

Love, the moments when we dive low

I am still safe because of you;

You are the one I gave my soul to,

You are the one I finally trust.

So take me on your Roller Coaster

With the wind singing in my ears;

I will hold you that much tighter, love,

For I have tossed away my Fears.