i wrote these words over a
thousand years ago – “like a lily among thorny weeds, so is my girl among all
girls and my love for her will never end” – and meant them for you
as we lay on sand warming
each other under stars, in cuneiform i drew them next to us and later chiseled
them in stone and someone, i don’t know who, passed them, in ancient alphabets,
to the future
and they’ve lasted until now
and will forever because they are true
that night, your head rested
under my left hand and i stroked your belly with my right hand
“my beautiful companion,” i
said, “come away with me – blossoms have appeared in the land, vines give birth
to sweetness, our season has arrived, at sunrise we will pick grapes and eat
the fruits of our labor”
and you kissed my mouth
saying i tasted like apples and i said, “girl companion of mine, you have the
ocean in your eyes, an ocean holding the lights of heaven”
i was just a boy, a mere
shepherd, and you chose me above all men reminding me how long and far you
searched for me “searched the streets and public squares to no avail” until one
day, when i asked for water from your well, you exclaimed you found me though
we had just met
we kissed again and you
tasted like pomegranate seeds and smelled of honey
and our hearts would not let
us sleep and we became drunk on our affections and wondered until the sun rose
what would become of us