The Crystal Ship

BELLA DONNA

somewhere in the world, the sea has met the shore
and your face grows ever solid; we meet twice each week an hour each day
and your words never change your face or my habits
to change my habits would mean to never see you again

and in the palm of your hand is a shell you’d like to guide you
and in the palm of my hand is rosemary i’d like to find you
and between us is some pearl, some summer star that
rolls and cools all who touch

the woman is a beauty, the girl has fallen hard
but the woman is tired, so the woman disappears
and your hands grow colder as you give them to me; still
you give them to me to feel mine

bella donna, come in,
out of the darkness.