the yearning of this mortal boy
was once quenched by
an amazing naiad

my parched heart
quelled by her presence alone
bewildered by her beauty

and then she smiled
there's so much left for her in this world
i wish her well

Last night evening crept slow
Daylight kissed goodbye
Left the moon hanging so low
At first barely reached the sky
After while climbed darkness's hills
Vibrantly glowing it peered down
The earth bathed in hues of grey fills
Embracing air in which it drowned
Beauty at hour most of world is asleep
Unparalleled by the sun
Blessed seeing dawns guardian instead of sheep
Close eyes when sunrise hits and the moon's work is done

I woke up to my neighbors belting out an off-key tune. I tried to cover my aching ears with my pillow, but their discordant voices echoed in my head, so I finally got out of bed.

I stared at the unfinished painting I had worked on the night before. In just a few seconds, my stomach dropped. Even in its incomplete state, there was a sense of impending doom looming outside my door—hideous, and that was my first thought this morning.

Shadows ran through the waves of my curls—spiraling endlessly—as my fingers gently brushed away the exhaustion from last night. For the second time, I turned to look at the unfinished painting restlessly sitting at the end of my bed. If it had eyes, it would definitely not meet my somber, dark brown gaze. It would fear me, for I would cut it into pieces. I would let it bleed until it was no longer breathing.

It would forever be cherished as a beast—unfinished, freshly cut like a lemon. When poured into a deep wound, its acidity would seize the skin, leaving nothing but unfortunate agony.

I drank two liters of fresh lemonade, but nothing happened. It didn’t cut me into pieces. I was still unfinished.

And so I avoided its beastly eyes. Even an unfinished canvas resented my sorrowful presence. I sliced another lemon and added a teaspoon of sugar, hoping today would be different.