Maria Lopez
beloved
beloved
slipping inside her paper skin
her thoughts pass through me -
my own, my unspoken kin
the intimate secrets of her sighs
her fires that rage, the pool of her eyes
mutual sin, re-awakening
such dark seeds
in longing sunk deep
the sweet, mutable flesh
dying to bloom
we are born of each other
twin, sister, daughter, mother
dividing like embryos
we are one, ovum, some, sonata
impelled to the tattoo of one equal heart
one unbound soul,
to deny, to grow old
alone sufficient, alone whole
in every age in every tongue
- cut, glorified, re-told
cast in this imperfect mould
and once again
beloved