*The eyes are first to sparkle
To reveal boundless joy
The eyes shout euphoria from the very tops of every hill
The eyes are also first to glisten
Swimming in a salty pool
They blink and blink to hold them in but they won't always stay hidden
The eyes are the windows into the soul
They peer to see if it is broken
Or if it is still standing, resolutely strong and whole
The eyes can read a thousand lies
They peel back woven cloths
They offer a glimpse, a chance to check if anything is disguised
I keep my face turned away
My eyes fixed on something else
I keep my eyes averted just so I can avoid another's gaze
But when I do, when I hold
Your unwavering stare
Lightning bolts shoot through me, stirring deep and cold
A heightened awareness of every breath
Making sure to keep them steady
I keep up my end, never breaking, with all the courage I have left
Those eyes bore right into my being
A rawness fresh and apparent
Your eyes have now seen everything
I flinch, I sever the electric current*
May 17, 2016
May 17, 2016 at 4:10 AM UTC
*The eyes are first to sparkle
To reveal boundless joy
The eyes shout euphoria from the very tops of every hill
The eyes are also first to glisten
Swimming in a salty pool
They blink and blink to hold them in but they won't always stay hidden
The eyes are the windows into the soul
They peer to see if it is broken
Or if it is still standing, resolutely strong and whole
The eyes can read a thousand lies
They peel back woven cloths
They offer a glimpse, a chance to check if anything is disguised
I keep my face turned away
My eyes fixed on something else
I keep my eyes averted just so I can avoid another's gaze
But when I do, when I hold
Your unwavering stare
Lightning bolts shoot through me, stirring deep and cold
A heightened awareness of every breath
Making sure to keep them steady
I keep up my end, never breaking, with all the courage I have left
Those eyes bore right into my being
A rawness fresh and apparent
Your eyes have now seen everything
I flinch, I sever the electric current*
Opia is defined as the ambiguous intensity of looking someone in the eye, which can feel simultaneously invasive and vulnerable.
I've always found eye contact between two people to be intimate and unnerving and tend to avoid it when I can.
