Too Full to Fall
Your shadow is a silhouette within
when sighing of cruel silence comes to call
my mind to dance a distance that depends.
From corners of my longing, you ascend
& brush my face & float into my all—
a shadow that’s the silhouette within.
The quirk of lip, the quest of hand, that wends
past wearied days & weathered, stony walls:
My mind a’dance a distance that depends.
Your phantom fingers trace what they intend
til you & I, in one expressive sprawl,
are shadows kissing silhouettes within.
I taste you still—a past that yet portends
a future of this waiting that forestalls
you mine: A dance & distance that depends.
Can we become true union & transcend
one man, one woman, flesh that’s born to fall,
when shadows past are silhouettes within
two minds that dance in distance? It depends.
2 thoughts on "Too Full to Fall"
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I love how this villianelle ends with a question and response that draws together these longing images
Thank you, Shaun.
I love how villanelles force us to choose phrases and words that are not just luminous, sound good, but can be manipulated to tease out further meaning.