by campfire light
she dances
spinning myriads of circles
an elegant black swan
spirals fall from her tilted head
moonlight reflected in her eyes
she is Gemini defined
twins colliding
granite and whisper-soft
fragile delicate narrow frame
taunt muscles over bone
outstretched hands in the atmosphere
earth
the soles of her feet
wind
the power of her voice
air
the grace in which she moves
fire
her skin ablaze
daughter of the elements
living freedom

It's 11:11
and for the first time
after a very long time
I'm wishing for myself
and not for you

It was you, Atthis, who said

"Sappho, if you will not get
up and let us look at you
I shall never love you again!

"Get up, unleash your suppleness,
lift off your Chian nightdress
and, like a lily leaning into

"a spring, bathe in the water.
Cleis is bringing your best
purple frock and the yellow

"tunic down from the clothes chest;
you will have a cloak thrown over
you and flowers crowning your hair...

"Praxinoa, my child, will you please
roast nuts for our breakfast? One
of the gods is being good to us:

"today we are going at last
into Mitylene, our favorite
city, with Sappho, loveliest

"of its women; she will walk
among us like a mother with
all her daughters around her

"when she comes home from exile..."

But you forget everything

What country maiden charms thy heart,
However fair, however sweet,
Who has not learned by gracious Art
To draw her dress around her feet?

I
am
one
rejection
away
from
softball
tournaments
and
flannel.

Oh!, no honey!

It was all my fault!
You said forever, and I took it seriously......

To be loved when its not convinient
To be loved for the hand gestures made when i talk about the netflix show i just got into
To be loved for the way i part my hair
To be loved for making a joke with the waiter
To be loved for taking the long route to get you a coffee
To be loved for being vulnerable
Oh to be loved for the smallest things and the big ones blindly.

Just for once, just one time
I want to be someone’s first choice