she came to me at night.
descending after turbulence;
seeking the key to unlock her past
and know a heart that had always been her own;
she deposited a surge on the back of my neck
like an ebbing tide of warm wishes for my safety and pride to be soothed, and tended.
I knew her.
I had been waiting on her; inside some chance like this.
I had been stuck in aftermath of my expired ashes– barely kindled, reminding me to stay alive.
she asked a question and we zeroed in because
I wanted to know her soul to care for my own.
she asked me to inquire in her anything
I merely wanted to know:
her present freedom from the unready
at the hands of the mistakes
of the wrathful folks on some path to their own demise.
I knew that path, and I called through the cream,
screaming her name inside;
until she told me,
that she knew my pain, and that I had heard hers in a transparent key. her brilliant hope
lay on a leaf,
with the gentle wind of my breath desperate to cradle her heart.
I did not like the one reason that things had to be this way,
and I question whether I was wrong all along; that I could’ve just awoken years ago,
when the pain was fresh and I was willing to carry myself, like her lioness that reflected me and proved me that I belong
in my burning anger to survive, and
my medium well way of logic.
she smiled at my claim,
that I loved what I loved, and let me love her
as I only know how to love.
“because we love
what we love
in the way we love, not as we should love
we love completely
or not at all”
–quoting Hunter,
To not disappear in flame.
a quiet moment between us,
given of each other.
would not the chance to be connected
be the relief we sought, that she had in her cheekbones
when I told her that I knew and that I would prove it for her speaking up;
a shelter from our dual thunderclouds moving past the outpost where
we sat and put our hands by the patio fire this night. a new home.
we traveled the earth in story along a highway of stones planted with the reasons
that would be our path forward– to the
dawn light and her message that she had found comfort and safety in the far corner of her patience, where a fountain waits and sings
the water dance of the reborn
I beg her pardon to be fair to her strengths in my aching heart
which knows I cannot turn back from myself nor turn away,
from her angelic inner light watching me
and smiling down on my key to
the freedom
of my soul.
a walk after our coffee. up main street, toward the music store, and a 3-minute hug under the streetlamp—
burning to show itself and light up my face smiling
back for her. safe in her hands.
as mine guard the distant horizon
of an era that refuses to help itself in deeper kindness nor look outward
and might happen upon us dreaming.
Together now. Ready for
a cote of doves to hold our tail wind.
Steady for takeoff, into any restaurant with our glasses raised
And a cheerful grin reciprocated, Across the table,
From my weary eyes Which lit my way
Into her validating smile.
“Welcome, our special tonight is a grilled swordfish over caramelized autumn vegetable medley, underneath a bed of jasmine rice, infused with our house-made cranberry
pistachio reduction. Do you two have any questions or should I give you some space together?”