Now, here, I see the error of my ways;
For long I’ve contemplated–laying blame
On all events long past–my fear, my shame.
And still, mine own inaction now betrays

This dagger of deceit on which I gaze.
Though masking cowardice with pride, I came
To this unseemly state–my heart aflame
With thee–replete with thine own sickly praise.

But how was I to know: no fate was worse
Than live a tragic life bereft of thee?
How could there more malevolent a curse
Than rob us of our only destiny?

Did we do right by running then, or did
We simply kill the dream for which we hid?

This sonnet is part of a short sequence; click here to read it all:

Beware; for an I hold the close again,
I shan’t be so inclined to let thee go.
The joy’s so great in finding thee; and so
This pain of parting doth not kindly wane.

When last I held thee, scarce could I contain
This joy in thee, and painful afterglow
Whose sting I could not, nor would I, forego;
Nor, fearing this, would I, my love restrain.

I die a thousand deaths when thou art gone.
Yet never would I sacrifice this time
When I am once again alive in thee.
I live a thousand lives, sweet paragon,
In every second’s sweet eternity,
In every moment’s perfect paradigm.

This sonnet is part of a short sequence; click here to read it all:

My Sister, I have been to Paradise!
My place in Heaven I have surely touched;
Although I were not calm enough nor wise
That I in that abode might stay, as much

I wished. Mine Heaven was thine Earth, my sweet,
Thine hand, the hand with which sweet Kali held
And breathed life into cold unyielding heat!
That very primal Earth which is thy world.

And so, with Kali’s hand and Helen’s eyes,
Not knowing what a mortal thou hadst touched,
Thou sent thy brother to his paradise;
A heaven which, too beautiful to love,

Would ever be the prize of Earthy trips:
The Heaven of thine hands, and of thy lips.

This sonnet is part of a short sequence; click here to read it all: