nd “Touching Each Other’s Surfaces” both deal with a romantic encounter that is not based on love. Tom Wayman’s poem is a story recounting the inner turmoil faced by a young man who has finally captured his sexual quarry. While Wayman does face the humiliation of losing his focus (among other things), his situation pales in comparison to that of the speaker in the poem by Carol Jane Bangs. “Touching Each Other’s Surfaces” chronicles an act of passion, with no love to be shared anymore. Both of these poems show a wish that the moment would not end, and both speakers know that it will never happen again. However, for Mr. Wayman, the consequences are only a night of failed pleasure and embarrassment. For the speaker in “Touching Each Other’s Surfaces,” the love is gone and all that is left are the night and memories. ...
