Nocturne 118

From within the darkest rooms, her

eyes, melting into the night, force

their gaze upon the corner of my skin.

She wanders through the haze

and sits without sound upon the water,

floating fragmented throughout

each breath of air moved from my lungs

and lips. I hold her

still until she stops whispering,

her lips simplified in the darkening

wasteland. I unfold

the papers from my back

pocket, reading and re-reading

penned lines to a love long dead-

she never touched my arm. I

never told her I loved

her that night without knowing

her name.

She slipped behind the curtain

and bowed her solemn face

to the emptiness all around, welcoming

the coming storm.