See Me

as the tip of your tongue.

Tasting cool and sweet,
sour and hot… Keep
your eyelids closed;

don’t peek

as I place in your fingers

or have you just stretch your arms
eager to reach for every luscious deliciousness your palate excitedly does seek:

Melted chocolate
Honey
Succulent meats…

Open your eyes.

See Me

as the beat of your heart

racing fast as a gazelle startled in the dark
across a desert plain

when touched
your most intimate parts

when a spouse states ‘I love you’

but you felt it
as you feel a breeze across heated skin;

but you felt it
real, not in actor’s accomplished pretends;

but you felt it
even in their anger
you knew their love would not end;

for you felt it
when they, you did lovingly befriend

so that after fireflies were lost from sight

as dawn broke with thundering clouds to blight your horizon

threatening lightning strikes
frightening during Noahic rains
you’d prayed… would never begin

as you wept yourself
virtually insane

you felt it

before
the words melted from their mouths
to drip

drip

drip…

Silent tears
in gratitude to depart.

*

Did you see me…

in the lift of your hand

with brush as extension
to duplicate the angle of a limb

or muted colors at dusk over a canyon or a waterfall,

capturing swift flights of geese honking companionablely v-formatted into a distance span

or as a mother embroidered a delicate lace hem
for a daughter traversing to another foreign land?

*

Do you see me,
though invisible I am…

in the sandals provided for your feet?

With leather, cotton canvas, even plastic soles
as protection against dirty streets?

Do you see me

as comforted by a friend
after praying;

when peaceful
despite a whirlwind;

Do you see me

as I see you

though you feel
invisible
too

daily… among imperfect men?