Inscape

Lisa Combrinck

The coast is clear.
You and I walk along the quiet beach.

Our feet dip into the sea,
a baptism of love.

You call my name,
but I do not answer.

You pick up shells, white and pink,
and blue stones.

You place them in my hands,
then you close my fingers one by one around them.

I fear our love.
I fear the shells in my hands will fall.

Then a quick breeze darts across the sky
blows through my body.

The shells fall
from my hands.

Flashes of white and pink
light up the entire sky.

Blue smoke rises.
We lie down in our blood.

I feel the flames singeing my skin.
My body trembles without an end.

You cover my body with yours
to calm me, to hide me from the fires.

I fear the crowds will rush and surround us.
They will find us crouched in an inseparable embrace.

I shut my eyes tight.
Maybe this will make the trembling stop.

And I, a moonwoman, cradled by the setting sun,
will wake when the tide comes in,
breaking like waves on the shore's cratered skin.

LitNet: 08 August 2006

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