I look over her shoulder into the bathroom mirror.
Her face is pale and beautiful.
She sees me behind her and starts.
‘Are you stalking me?’ she asks.
I smile but do not speak.
She does not turn around.
I think she says ‘I love you’ but the words are too soft to hear.
I try to speak but my voice is caught in my throat.
I hope she can read my love in my look.
I lift my hand to touch her neck.
She closes her eyes and, when she opens them again, I am gone.
love
Jay tried cycling on ice
Jay tried cycling on ice and walking on windy cliff tops. Kay tried swinging from an oak branch and jumping over rivers. Then, and only then, they thought they would chance spending their lives together.
John and Jane
Every time she stood near him, time curved. Space warmed. Air thinned.
“Look, Jane, look! A spot on the sun!”
“Don’t stare at the sun, John.”
“Are we going to be happy, Jane?”
“Wait for me to kiss you.”
Air thinned still further.
Berries
She gave me a handful of berries. We sat next to each other and ate them in silence. When we finished, our lips were red.
Together, holding hands
Together, holding hands,
They went to sleep
And, in the morning,
Did not wake.
Love is
Love is trousers and apples,
sand dunes and sky,
love is everything there is or that will be.
Love is all, and nothing is but love.
Love you.
Thank you for coming. Goodbye
I heard how your name was properly pronounced
and practised it all the way to your home.
But by the time I got there it was gone from my tongue, forgotten.
And I had to get it right, get everything right.
Because if I got everything right
and everything else turned out alright, who knows?
We could have had it better.
But I blurted out your name and your parents
– or your children –
couldn’t help it and laughed.
But that’s a girl’s name
– or a man’s name – they said
and hid their laughter behind their hands
but not from their eyes.
So that was the last time I saw you until today.
Thank you for coming.
My life has been good
and now is complete.
Thank you for coming. Goodbye.
When my rib broke
When my rib broke, it hurt when I laughed, cried, moved, lay still. Now at Christmas, Eid, Halloween, Diwali, my heart cracks at the loss of you.
When I cannot be there
When I cannot be there
I will think of you
When I cannot hold you close
I will dream of you
When my arms are empty
my heart is full
of love for you
In my heart
I am there for you
Saved
invisible heart scars itch
the stitches saved time
I’m fine now
I’m fine
simonsalento 