Lying apart now, ...
... All men elsewhere—
it is as ...
... the shadows overhead.
Tossed up like ...
... feeling—or too much.
Chastity faces them, ...
... were a preparation.
Strangely apart, yet ...
... Touching them gently.
Do they know ...
... now grown cold?
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
The "Mystery" of Jennings — More biographical context on the poet.
The Poet's Life and Work — A biography and recordings of Jennings at the Poetry Archive.
The Poem Aloud — Listen to a reading of "One Flesh."
Jennings: A Retrospective — Read the poet's 2001 obituary in The Guardian.
More on "The Movement" — Read about the mid-20th-century literary movement with which Jennings is sometimes associated.