embrace ... a poem

-->

embrace

You told me not to hold you tight

but what was I holding on to?

When we embraced, I squeezed your waist

You told me not to need you

I buried my face in the center of your chest

Inhaled and tried to breathe you

I shut my eyes ‘til I saw spots

Determined not to leave you

But hugs can only last so long

and what good do they lead to?

A forehead kiss? I was dismissed.

I should have taken heed to

your warnings that said, “loosen your grip.”

Your worried gaze deceived you

I ignored that look; I thought it love

and now I’m left to grieve you.

~cdw~

09/04/13 

blue ... a poem

blue

I've been crying over you

shedding tears that stain my cheeks blue.

Close my eyes and hide my face

hoping that no one sees a trace.

But when my palms try to dry the pain

all they do is smear the hurt again.

Then I wash and scrub with water, soap.

Clean away the woe and re-reveal the hope.

But the dream is gone and love, in vain,

Drowned in salty sobs, bitter acid rain.

And my skin – moist and choked with heartbreak,

flushed the dark indigo of a body suffocated –

lost its glow, the rosy rush of love obtained.

Sunken, shadowed, hollow, royal-tear stained.

~cdw~

09/03/13

Intimacy ... a poem (Part 1 of The Detox Trilogy)

Intimacy
(part 1 of The Detox Trilogy)

Your full lips on my forehead

our lingering embrace

drinking pinot noir from coffee mugs

sitting on your knee

lengthy late-night conversations 

your long blinkless stare straight through me

three soft kisses at the nape of my neck

in the dark

your fingers tangled, tugging at my curly kinks

a tickle fight on my bedroom floor

eskimo kisses in your front yard

cuddling that never led to sex

listening to your tales of Ghana

my pet name, Abena

your rants about injustices at work

and in the world

your passionate musings about your next creative project

the story of your mother's illness

the story of yours 

your abstract painting that hangs framed on my wall

waking up the day after Christmas in your arms

your nephew's tears when I had to leave

and what became your final prayer of thanksgiving

What we had was intimacy.

But intimacy sans commitment leads to disappointment

and is the bloated stomach of a malnourished body--

Painfully empty.

~cdw~

03/19/12