She heat, I light
she flower, I leaf
she burning fusion sun, I yearning captive moon
she reef of bright fish, I rock of one white bird
Together: all of it
One day a month we get
together, in our careful hair
she with henna, I with bleach
she in makeup, I bareface
she in her plush flesh, I in my skin and bones
In our jeans,
in our black jackets,
in our voices,
in our noise and our listening
Out of our webs, into one another’s eyes
One hug hello or cheek-kiss: smooth remembered skin
and our voices
Maybe a shoulder-touch or laugh-nudge
and our voices
Usually a hug goodbye
then out of our voices, into our webs.
One database entry
One search, one match
One email
One reply, then many more
One safe public rendezvous
Boundaries crossed
sets intersected
patterns matched
lit up and bleeped like we’d won something
She made of brittle twigs and I of spun steel
yet she surroundsound widescreen, I patch of earth
She fragile and polished, I tough and ragged
Together: a shelter