'There was no question'
she said.
I wanted him to feel my power;
I did not want
to be the passive one
I  told him to lie down
and be quiet
as I
stood above him
and gradually
moved closer
hovering above.
thinking that
he must feel
the feeling
of helplessness
I sometimes felt.
I knew this man loved me
and would do whatever I wanted him to.

I moved closer
waiting for him to flinch or move
to resist
my control;
my tightening his bonds
to see
if fright
would over take him.

To see if he trusted me.

He remained quiet.
I kissed him lightly
and lighter still
letting him
come close
but not allowing him
to touch me.

This was time
standing still
this was the eye
of the power void
he not resisting yet
me not asserting yet
but the situation still fluid.
He could not move
even if he wanted to.
He was so to speak
totally in my power.
I studied his face.
How deep did the trust go.
How long could he lie still.
How much was I willing to do?
There was tension here.

Any false response
or small resistance
would ignite the moment
and the void would split.

I whispered to him
"don't resist
don't move"
wanting to linger
within this my own power
to impose this.

There was only the sound

of his and my breathing.
He never flinched.

And that is why I love this man.
his willingneness.

He lay still

and I said

"Sorry about that

you have to endure

all the needs and grievances

I've accumulated from past relationships"

He said "I know"

"What are yours.? she said

"The ability to learn to let someone else have power."

"So you think this was about power?"

"Not power power" he said

"but power as the ability to enable someone else to feel themselves around that issue and thereby move on through it.

My power then here is not the power over or coercion

but the power to enable someone else to move through power power.

"I see" she said. "I knew there was a reason I loved you."

"Me too," he said