lifespan of a tryst (2)

He did not promise her the moon,

he did not vow to slay the wolf, which cried

helplessly in the corner of her mind, 

wild terror in its eyes

He shrugged at trees and park-benches,

branded with lovers' soliloquies,

he tried to read her poetry, that to him read

like the letters were written upside down

his hands hung low behind her,

whose eyes are full of intoxicating perfume,

saying 'come and hold me, hold me after my name 

is set in tones of olive and flesh'

except he could not hold her,

promising her his young heart,

sprouting small leaves,

thistles like the bristles of his hair,

the stubble lining his jaw,

he promised her his heart,

with that faraway look in his eyes,

wondering where he last lost it,

his eyes on the other side of the moon,

facing the world away

while she roams alone, stuck in a church

in the middle of love's graveyard

her eyes on his name, set in stone

Reviews

[Lyn Anderson]

different yet not from the first. Wonderful use of words and images -- think I am in love with the opening stanza of this one.

[Emily B]

oh, oh, I have missed your words, haunting and so full of life

[Simon Welsh]

We all wander alone. Most of the time. Nicely written.

[highonwords]

thank you, elliott, for dropping by

[Quill]

nicely written, looks like a classic love story to me, i like it.

[highonwords]

thank you, arnold, for your words

[B]

This piece of art here
So stunning
the struggle to unite
between two of broken hearts
how to get close
becomes the ultimate question

Your last line sets a key for eternity
they are set in stone
by a look that means so much
tying two names to one another for life

[highonwords]

thank you, nisreen, for your interpretation of the poem