Stranger

Unexpected, real darkness in a room of
artificial lightness, light artificiality
desirably undesireable
you sat, I stood, you looked,
I saw your head turn in
my patient eagerness to
feel you move me
this way, come that way
pleasure in painful curiosity
company in thoughtful, artul solitude
climactic ecstasy amid a river of depression
tides upon waves of peacefulness
contentment in solitary togetherness
the mystery suffocates to wonder
the consciousness deadens to calm
the racing of my heart paralyzes...
the comfort of you is discomforting, Stranger
blackness in my memory causes
not fear of dark but relief in this
dark your eyes, light your skin
I will invite darkness to my yesterdays
if it means you may light my tomorrows,
as today, so different, so
strange to my past, Stranger
yet, so familiar to my future.

- Jessica Mary