Shall I compare thee to a mysterious land
that recur in the explorer's dreams, and tempt!
When my eyes were set on you, those doe eyes flashed
a  message, captured by  my genes that made me set out
with a passion never once felt, before or after,
to  the  fecund land awaiting me  with fruits exquisite,
never once touched, none ever tasted.
Those lips in the first flush of youth, told a secret, sought for long,
in bushes birds were hiding in nests, woods were gentle and fragrant,
the little spring,  your  lovely secret, in spate at a distant hint of rain was somnolent,
the hidden sunny meadow invited one to dance,
here the explorer's quest found its mark.
*Though his spirit quenched and at rest, never again will he leave,
this dream, will remain the admirer of this landscape for ever.

my subconscious writes me letters
gentle urgings -
from that deepest space
where dreams go to rest
and fears go to hide
little fragments of inspiration
that dance provocatively
only to vanish
when i rise from my stupor
little ghosts of memories past
present and future
bound up together
as unfailing reminders
that wherever i go
i will always be me

-Vijayalakshmi Harish
30.11.2012

Copyright © Vijayalakshmi Harish

Your friend asked me what my tattoo meant
And I had already had a bit to drink so
I wasn't shy when I turned around and explained.
Your eyes had me from that point on, they're amazing
You know, I was mesmerized from the start.

Sure details might be blurred but I will always remember
The way we talked about everything and nothing like
We weren't even strangers and every topic was up for grabs.
We drank and smoked, talked and drank some more until
I wanted to dance with you, I've got this love for music that
Makes me move and alcohol only makes that more intense.

We went inside and the music and bodies moving around us
Became this moment that we couldn't help but get caught up in.
Bodies swaying together against each other and I was swept away,
Lips introduced to each other and hands discovering curves and lines.
We parted that night, filled with the thrill of meeting someone new,
Like there was this idea that maybe we could get to know who we were.

The next night when we sat in the dark out on your roof,
Looking at stars and talking more about anything and everything else,
I felt myself drawn to you, not just the lean in closer and
lay my head on your shoulder kind either. Really drawn to you.
In that way that can scare somebody like me, so obviously I tried to run off.

I've got wings as you found out, it wasn't a joke when I warned I can be flighty.
I get scared easy, and confrontation makes me sick, I don't want to run but I resort to it.
But how perfect that you didn't let me get away, they call it the thrill of the chase I guess,
But through it all- every part of me is happy that I can hold your hand and smile into those
Amazing eyes. I get to kiss you in the morning and hold you at night, and
Even if we blur the details when asked about how we met, I'm glad that together
We've taken hold of that idea that we can get to know who we are.