limestone & salt

there was always a lantern there
inside my chest
but its switch was always
guarded by limestone ribs
& heartache stalactites

I don't know where he
learned the secret spell
that turns heartache
into dust
but he taught me
that the salt of my past
tears was there
to dance on the wind
of our love

I painted his strong, dark
arms with chalk & water
and my lantern-chest
lit our path and
taught us to read
the poems in
each other's eyes

9/24/17