TheCourtRose

When we sat close enough to touch I would twirl the golden watch around her wrist Feel the smooth grooves slide beneath my sticky fingers Ritualistic and soothing Spin the watch three times A binding spell to keep her near She wore the gold band unconsciously For every outfit In every photo She lamented the loss of diamonds, the family crest, before I was born What are these things to me? Cold and sparkling idioms from a distant past Those were not my treasures Spin the watch three times again Her smile was the winter sun I wanted nothing more than to be scorched by her warmth Though she tried and tried nothing could bridge the distance of seasons I would hug her tightly to me and say-  I'm not finished yet when she pulled away Just spin the watch three more times On my own wrist I wear it now though it's broken Feeling the smoothed grooves and softened edges In the end when I hugged her goodbye, she pulled me close, tighter and said- I'

Eyes Lion-bright, a mber soaked in whiskey Twin cocktails of savage understanding Enough to surrender belly up Not "nice" Too insipid a descriptor It's kindess A tangible place A geographic coordinate There are degrees, minutes and seconds to the fracture  that softened you A turn around the corner Behind a closed door A 3 click shift of the door handle, 2 minute walk inside a hidden room, 6 second 360 degree turn A fissure cracks along the wall  curving like a backbone Toppling a few books to the floor A table overturned, but the couch is welcoming and worn Light bursts through the windows  mindless of the hesitant, jagged glass There is repair here An under reconstruction Yet the table is set for tea, pot still warm The light is so very clear, goldenrod erupting The very center of you Only caught in glimpses

Gathered wishes from deserted roadside Bundled with scattering of violet wildflowers Stuck to fingers Clung to lips Tenacious in their need A crumpled hand A puff of air Breathed into being on dry seeded snow Cascaded into oncoming wind, lifted away Set free to enact themselves upon the world and return gently - a kiss of fallow winter on the brows of their redeemers Like so many things A breathe of life A release A return home

November 4, 2018 Marigold Parade South Valley, Albuquerque New Mexico Southwestern United States of America Northern American Continent Sometime between 12:30 and 1pm in the afternoon Mountain Standard Time We lay in the grass My head on your chest The rumbling of your voice settling into my bones I watched grey, low slung autumn clouds roll across the sky Our hands were intwined It was then I knew I was in love with you I will not tell you this now It’s too soon, of course But one day  you will know the exact moment you shifted me forever

I want to connect the freckles on your back Create unknown constellations You laugh delightedly when I say this as though you are uncertain if I am joking You will come to know- I never joke about adventure Sail away with me on strange seas Unfamiliar celestials pricking the water with shine I can trace the universe upon your skin Fabricate a star map to venture by Navigate slowly, relish the discovery We cannot get lost if we have no destination, but I have a compass tattooed near the crook of my elbow just in case You have traced this space with nimble fingers and lips already As if there are charts between us at night you study the landscape while I sleep Taking notes, outlining mountains, memorizing rivers, observing the dance of clouds Certain I will wake to you muttering longitude and latitude of far off places into my shoulder Come away with me? Adventure awaits and I can already taste the salty air in my mouth (Written Novem