the trampoline

as we jump
up, down
up, down
up, down

our laughter surges through the air
up, down 
up, down
up, down

tingling our noses is the crisp bronze breeze

my leg bends 
giving my body way to fall 
into the mesh form 
breaking my jump

up, down, up
down, up
down

I press against the chilled woven elastic, 
giggling

you settle beside me,
I extend my arm,
encasing your heart
lub, dup
lub, dup
lub, dup

resting,
my hand feels the intensity recede
lub, dup
lub, dup
lub,
dup,
lub

moments hover,
slowing to stillness,
freeze in midair like clouds

hanging

awkward truth huddles,
above us

then
the rain comes,
when we have no umbrellas

split, splat
split, splat
split, splat

drenched
we soon are
separated by a dark wall of beads

echoing in my ears,
your voice
somewhere
beyond an arm’s length

out of reach,
the thunder between us

I yell,
but my voice becomes a bead,
torn away from me

taken under by force,
broken by the torrent cascading down over us

split splat
split splat
split splat

the last beads fall,
we become masses of dripping cloth,
non-figures

formless as we are,
we lie,
we wait

my breath
is running
to catch up,
scurrying

in out
in out,
in out,
in,
out,
in,
out,

steadying

you and your breath make your way toward me,
but your form remains behind
separated from your lungs
no longer sustained

I hold in my ears
all you have given me,
memory

as the night draws closer,
cold,
wet,
I am still

around me there is black
icy
moist
woven
elastic

shivering

inside me the vibration goes on,
for I cannot
be calm
alone

over the horizon,
the sun breaks free of the darkness,
melting the ice

the amber radiant beams encase me
in deep warmth,
I dissolve.

not the same as you,
I keep my form,
I break apart inside,
separate from you
yet remain complete.

as I walk closer to the light looming over,
my heartstrings pull at what was once their own

they are not aware
you must stay behind,
in the shadow of the dew drops

nor do I know you must stay,
for I break my stride and turn

I spin around,
waiting for you to reach your hand
towards mine to grasp,
hold,
love.

far gone is the day when that desire was fulfilled.

alone,
I stop waiting.

as the last sound of you surges through the air,
I reach the glow

arms open to me,
embracing safely
my future from you.

white overtakes my vision,
solid
immense
pearl
air

this new love I undo myself to,
unraveling walls called security

defense becomes paper thin,
vulnerable
unwritten

I belong here
in this new place

restoration

my heart gives way to the yielding it once knew,
lub dup,
lup dup,
lup dup

falling to stillness and peace
new promise alive in the air,
electric, eternal.

all this was to come,
before
when we jumped together
up down,
up down,
up down.

​

:: written: October 22, 2008