in the unexpected welcome of your eyes
my heart rises up
and flashes into the cells of my fingers
urging them to reach out to you
my blood fires deep into my veins
calling me to swallow you
in the sacred cup of my lips
where the wine of our communion
is distilled between our tongues
but my cells falter
where my dying heart fails
under the hand of fear
that will not let me hold you
lest you slip through my fearful fingers
and break their loving bones


lori, 1990