you came rolling in like thunder

with your lips parted and wet

like the leaves on the trees

even hours after it has rained



a hurricane

of the greatest proportion

I can still feel my thighs grate against the sand

And feel my hair wrapped around your hands

The moon sat heavy in the midnight sky

And the waves crashed into the coast

Your warm breath hung in the cool air

And my skin rose to your every touch

The sand still felt hot from the sun

And the sea breeze tasted of salt

Your mouth found mine at last

And I eagerly answered your request

The outline of your body against the moonlight

And my body pressed into the inviting Earth

Your fingertips grazed the most private of places

And your lips browsed the softest places

As we discovered how we moved in sync

That night on that deserted beach

You were all the shades of purple
Violet petals blowing in the wind
Mauve smashed grapes between toes
Plum like bruises on bent backs

You melted into the hues of blue
Cornflower sky vibrant in July
Teal waves bombarding the coast
Navy like jeans with grass stained knees

You faded into the tones of green
Olive leaves on thick trunked trees
Lime frogs hopping on branches
Chartreuse like fresh cut kiwi

You gave into the tints of yellow
Golden sunrises on the horizon
Khaki canvases stretched thin
Canary like lemon drops on tongues

You were all the shades of orange
Tangerine bonfires at midnight
Rusty nails twisted into planks
Amber like dripping honey bee hives

You darkened into all the hues of red
Cherry slick tabletops in a diner
Rosy cheeks flushed from the cold
Pomegranate like bricked suburban houses

You waned into the tones of pink
Magenta cotton candy stuck to lips
Coral reefs blooming on the seafloor
Peach like skin after a day at the beach

You disappeared into the tints of white
Powdery snow on concrete ground
Cream goosebumps on silky thighs
Ivory like teeth through pursed mouths

And in sharp contrast, became black
Obsidian rocks at the volcanic base
Charcoal soot stuck under fingernails
Onyx like the deepest darkest night

I used to love the moments of love
Like the gratuitous glances
We exchanged in the grocery store
Or the brief belly laughs
That reverberated in our bedroom

I found myself living in them
Like the kind kisses
We had in the tight kitchen
Or the sly smirks
Reflected off the shower stall

I wanted them all the time
Like the ample adoration
Down adjacent bookstore aisles
Or the careening caresses
Of my thighs in the car

Even when sour, I held them so close to me
Like the damaged despair
Of broken plates in the dining room
Or the warning words
That echoed off white walls

I remembered every moment
Like the accusing anger
Spread across awful afternoons
Or the effortless embraces
Given in endured evenings

And sometimes, I wished I could forget them
Like the somber silences
In separate sides of the bed
Or the tearful touches
Of hands tightly ****** together

I used to love the moments of love
Like the beginning beauty
Of blushed bedroom faces
Or the frightened farewells
Under falling rain

You poured down
Like a rainstorm
On a warm August night
Soaked dry clothes through
In your careless wake
Leaving me drenched in you
You were damp
On my skin
Weighing me down
Pulling me deep under
Until all I could do was tread water
And drown in you

You flew overhead
Like a baseball
Hit by a shy rookie
On opening night
Moved quick like lightning
And soared above the stands
You were out of reach
Out of my hands
Collecting hundreds of eyes
Raising people to their feet
Until you were out of sight
And disappeared completely

You burst forth
Like a firework
On the 4th of July
Full of color and light
Causing oohs and awes
From a captivated crowd
You were loud
In my ears
Cracking apart my doubts
Amplifying love instead
Until the show was over
And you grew quiet in the silence

You drew in
Like a painting
Birthed by a masterclass
With strokes of yellow and blue
Oils bleeding together
And colors blending into one
You were confounding
Out of my grasp
Receiving praise from the gallery
Applause from your admirers
Until you became famous in the afterglow
And forgot about your biggest fan

You left behind
Like an earthquake
Of the greatest proportions
With buildings toppled over
Car alarms blaring in the street
And rubble lying at my feet
You were gone
But took a second look back
To survey the damage you made
Estimate the cost of repairs
Until you held the pieces of me in your hands
And let them fall between your open fingers

You can make love
With careful caresses and tasteful touches
Your breath, slow and steady, on my neck
Your heart, hard and heavy, in your chest

Or you can ****
With harsh hands and boastful bites
Your breath, fast and frantic, on my neck
Your heart, rapid and reeling, in your chest

You can make love
With kind kisses and mild moans
Your body, pressed and playful, against me
Your eyes, wide and willing, fixed upon mine

Or you can ****
With snappy slaps and ****** vices
Your body, lewd and lively, against me
Your eyes, dilated and detailed, fixed upon mine

You can make love
And feel every detail of the other
Or you can ****
And leave in the morning for another

I’ve felt love before
In moonlit travels, bright and eager
And in frost bitten hearts
Frigid and cold on the skin

I’ve felt love before
In calloused hands, veined and pained
And in deep blue eyes
Beautiful and sad in their depths

I’ve felt love before
In hot water, steamy and passion-filled
And in laundered bed sheets
Tousled and unfolded around the edges

I’ve felt love before
In whispered words, quiet and lovely
And in plain white t-shirts
Wrinkled and loose on the skin

I’ve felt love before
In smooth kisses, careful and deliberate
And in bony collarbones
Sturdy and solid in their depths

I’ve felt love before
In wildest dreams, sewn shut and clean
And in technicolor reality
Neon and fuzzy around the edges

I’ve felt love before
In different men, unique and contained
But now in sharp contrast
Overflowing and pouring forth