my head cradled against your chest
your heartbeats thump like
waves against the hull
of a night-stalled ship
in which i lay
quiescent
but not sleeping
which is why as
you bend in with a kiss i feel you more
(yes more the way a whisper in church is a shout)
and when then
so softly your eyelashes brush across my cheek
it burns
and then when
your lips cool breeze on my still-slick skin
soothe the flames into quiet bliss then
then I say
put your arms around me
you are my elemental
hush
you say
hush