Tiger, your eyes of amber
lull me hypnotically under
slowly sink, you slink in tallest grass
night, a steamy jungle where you sleep
scratch and paw, you claw my neck
I run, always you bite and bite
growl, and prowl hunting me down, to defeat
tireless in your clever games of hide and seek.

Strange music playing
I never know from where it comes
always on a whim it wanders and goes
a flute, warm breathed upon my flesh
sometimes cool night jazz
a deep toned oboe, I breathe in wildly slow
drums synced in rhythmic beats
now a bass guitar strummed ever dark
a haunting violin that moans
ripping at the heart.

When I am a thousand miles away
and you are seemingly a million more
here where I trade the sun for rain
dwell in the intermittent patches of grey
I distract myself in gardens green
study madala art of spider weaves
decaying, diaphanous maple leaves
the cool of wet mud wriggling around my toes
and yesterday the black birds watching me
disturbingly, the cawing crows
and I could hardly think or speak
as I dialed you long distance on the phone.

I have lost all sense of time, hours linger
days fade, I look at photographs
those of you and I, unframed
in gardens, or mountains
or pictures from the hotel
the warmth of you, my chilly toes
lonely - I remember your smile
the window, the trickle
of autumn rain.

Blue, sea green night
the moon's gone missing
lorn shore, footprints and broken shells
my heart an empty ocean to fill
without you my love, further
than the planets and stars
how long this ache
of blood and cells?