never

a bridge whose reach spanned so much nor as unfathomably deep and illimitably far as

touch

not the shushing of an old man's pencil

whispering quietly for infinite unknown ears

words still lingering from the pages

though gone a thousand years

not the subtlest smell of pine needles

from a summer camp cabin floor

still wafting sweetly on the air

a young boy breathed in freely

distant lives before

not the final morning primal taste of the timeless sea

nor the concentrated stinging salt in savored drips

not the returning waves of an old woman's tears

still crying for her lover's lips

not a midnight vision of two most distant stars

immeasurable light years between the pair

yet further than a young girl's wishes

even faster than awareness

from this now to there

not even in our memories

not even in our dreams

not even passed all imagined

nor all points in between

never a bridge reaching

even further than side to side

connecting the sense of all as much

within our touch resides

touching now the moment

touching holds every swirling still

touching lightly with a fingertip

the essence of our will

touch is fully present

beyond any past or future tense

as beyond ascension or descent

time makes no further sense

touch reaches all the way

from now and there and back to here

where (as what is wrapped in velvet)

we hold our universe together

in ways both firm and dear

still

touching

the edge of ecstasy

as the last dewdrop

on a leaf quivering before it falls

to join the river underneath

now in every kiss to bring

how exquisite unto heaven

how electric our bodies sing

turned up to eleven

now beside ourselves

nestling inside each other

as we lay down for this night

embracing our true lover

now for each other reaching

mind and heart forever blown

reaching as petals in the wind

trembling to be known

now together in this our merged and surging of

no more span of time and space between us

nothing separate below us nor above

touching

touching

touching

touching only now

touching only

love

~ San Francisco, 8.22.18