Four years ago, to the day, two lonely hearts met for the first time. Friendship grew and from that friendship, love awakened. It caught us unaware, as love often does. I will spare you the details. It is enough to say we found each other. No, that’s not quite right. Fate guided us to meet. Our destinies intertwined as our souls did, long before the first hello.

Below is a selection of poetry. This is not intended to be perfect poetry in proper form. I had not written poetry for fifteen years until I met my love. He inspires me. It is as the day itself, declarations raw, and an open look into my heart and the struggle of finding the will to be brave, vulnerable, and to love.

Dare I touch you?
Dare I speak? 
I can’t breathe, 
With you so close to me. 
You’re my friend, like a brother,
I’m not suppose to want you,
as my lover. 
Dare I reveal,
The truth behind my eyes?
Or should I conceal,
My unyielding tears?
Do I shrink in fear?
From this love,
I now know?
My lips, only moments,
From your neck. 
My face buried,
In your shoulder. 
Keep talking. 
Dare I be brave?
Dare I answer you?
If I touch you, 
Will you run?
If I speak, 
Will the words,
Find a way?
My fingers,
Against your skin. 
My heart, 
I surrender.  
I can’t look,
Dare I hope? 
I surrender. 
Your eyes?
Dare I dream? 
Believe? 
I do. 

by Jennifer Perkins

Lady lost and lonely 
Beauty, sadness, fiercely 
 
Lord lost and leading darkly
Strength, command, deadly
 
Nay the strangles of Narcissus, 
Not the bite of a dragon, 
Nor the bark of Cerberus, 
Could mar the legend, the canvas.  
 
Nay the plot of jealously, 
Not the haunt of war, 
Nor the wrath of death and fire,
Would sway him from her, his desire. 
 
Love find them strangely,
Love find them mortal,
Love find them divine,
Gods of love led blindly,
Blissful, Eternal, beautifully. 
 
For he is her heart,
And she is his blood, 
 
For he is her heart, 
And she is his blood.  
 
Love find them strangely, 
They rule over us, 
But their hearts are ruled 
By the beats of the other. 
 
Love ever find them strangely 
And perfectly 
For he is her heart 
And she is his blood. 

by Jennifer Perkins

For the night is dark and full of terrors. 
 
In the wake 
Of the lady of the lake
Fire and flesh burn 
Trees scream 
and hatred turn 
Tears sear my cheek
He can not save me 
Both betrayed 
Demands of the pure
Innocence of the lost 
Burnt and charred 
My heart cries out 
Across lives and time 
My eyes wide
The moon on my face 
And the fading waters
Reveal
it is the lady
my soul quakes
And she was 
And he was 
And I was 
And she is
And he is 
And I am 
awake. 

by Jennifer Perkins

Never wear red again
 
You were my big bad wolf 
I was your little red 
The world laid before us 
I love you, always said
frozen in ice,
You rescued me,
Waves came crashing down,
A blood red sea,
And you are forever lost.  
 
And I’ll never ever wear red again
And I’ll never ever forgive myself, my sin,
With your breath, my heart shattered,
Did you know how much you mattered
I will never, ever, forget your loving eyes,
Your breath on my neck,
Your cheek against my thighs, 
All I want again is your warmth,
That is when I cry
And vow 
I will never wear red again. 
 
Howl at the moon
Howl at the door
Howl at this feeling
Howl nevermore. 
 
Howl for vengeance 
Howl for the darkness 
Will there ever be the light
Until then, I will forever wear white,
In mourning for that night,
 
And I will never,
Ever,
Wear,
Red,
Again
 
Goodbye my wolf. 
My big bad wolf. 
 
All the better to love you with
He whispered. 
And she died. 
 
And his spirit lived on.

-by Jennifer Perkins