Sacred Romance (Stay)

Sweet Ancient of Days,
Come to me wearing any disguise:
thorny rose
soft-footed snow
mournful wind
or rain tippity-tapping my window pane;

romance me, though all around me prove false,
though come nightfall the darkling air throbs with menace most foul.
Should mountains shake and the hills be removed,
romance me even then, or not at all.

I will learn to love the snow because of you
learn to pick out the disparate notes of your serenaded love in melancholy music,
in the fresh smell of cotton dresses steamed under the iron,
in the remembrance of my father's laughter, though now its merry swirl is not meant for me.

Wear wood smoke as your cologne
and autumn's vulgarity of colors as bold contrast to my drab little self.
Like a blind woman whose fingertips have grown accustomed to Braille
and to the unique texture of things, I will caress the barks of trees
the familiar landscape of knee scabs;
will tremble with the desire to be
the warp and woof of your weaver's loom,
my self woven (bones, hair and all) into a gorgeous tapestry,
another kind of tapestry than what I dreamed I could be.

Ancient of Days,
my dreams are too big for me,
my child's hands drop them clumsily
even as I blink back tears at my ineptness, my lack of grace.
I turn at the slightest rustling sound
my ears keen for your approach.

Oh! I love you so,
I betroth myself to you
to your light in my baby brother's eyes,
and to the sound of your lullaby meant just for me
in the sighing of falling embers
and in sun drenched streets I dare not explore without you.

Sweet Ancient of Days:
tarry with me one more hour
linger near while mother frowns over the stove
and the stepdad smirks at my stupidity;
stay lest my soul wither away
and I lose myself for want of you.

Stay.