The Precipice of Desire
THE PRECIPICE OF DESIRE
The merest thought of you
brings me to the edge
of Love's cliff face,
the precipice
of desire.
Here I teeter, and rock,
thrilling with the desire to leap
face first
into the chasm,
to cast doubt to the wind,
to fall into you.
Once, when I was young and brave,
I would have stumbled over the edge
without ever knowing it was there.
Once, when I was in pain,
suffering the torments
of Love despoiled,
I would have spat into the wind
then wondered why my face was wet.
And there was a time, my sweet,
when I would have lied
and told the world that I had leapt -
only to climb free
in victory.
Instead, I find myself
warmed by the updraft,
thrilled by possibilities,
charmed by my own desire,
knowing only
that this is where I remain.
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Shared with DVerse Poets for Open Link Night.
This poem appeared in "One Night Stanzas" available from Big Table Publishing.
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©2011 Christopher Reilley
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The many sides, angles, leaps, possibilities of desire / love.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a precipice we are all drawn to, Chris. Some stunning lines in this poem, which remind us of the ‘desire to leap face first into the chasm’, and of torment. I really felt it in the lines:
ReplyDelete‘I would have spat into the wind
then wondered why my face was wet.’
To traverse the trails of love, to find yourself where you are now, is to be blessed. Glad you've found this person to walk with through life, Chris.
ReplyDelete