Love in five parts

Words and feature image by Tabitha Lean

 

Part I

“love me gently,”

she whispered in

his ear as his

arm slipped across

her shoulders. 

she sensed the

fragility of this love. 

it was as if

they were held

together by

gossamer threads,

as if at any

moment the threads 

would fray, and

even as she teased 

at the edges, 

she felt it slip. 

so, she held on

tight-

she let him 

pierce her red, 

crimson heart…

but holding him

was like trying 

to catch water,

or trying to stop

the sands of time

run through the

hour glass. 

Part II

“love me softly,”

she said as he 

leaned in to kiss

her. she allowed

herself to feel

the beat of his

heart against her

chest. as if

the static of

its’ rhythm 

could pulse through 

her body too

and awaken the 

sleeping beast-

battered, weary

and bruised but

still living and

breathing, wary 

but hopeful,

guarded but open. 

Part III

“love me wisely,”

she breathed as

his lips grazed

her neck sending

quakes through

her body 

down to the pits

of her stomach. 

she heard her

voice quiver as

she spoke-

the crackling

sound echoing

tracks of worry,

tripping over

broken promises 

and shattered 

dreams; fear

resting uncomfortably

in her soul bones.  

Part IV

“love me sweetly,”

she pleaded 

as his hands

ran along her

soft edges and

across her ample

curves. She felt

at that moment

she could explode

into a thousand

stars and she

still wouldn’t know

what real love

was made of. 

she hoped he

would be careful

where he trod 

for she knew

that even a man

on tip-toes could 

still leave footprints

on her soul. 

Part V

“love me fearlessly,”

she mouthed as

he lay her down

across his earthen

alter of mercy,

while he fondled

her subconscious

and it was at

that moment

that she knew

there would never

be anything more

fragile than

watching him

unravel himself

inside her,

as their hips

dipped and swayed

to the unchained 

melody playing

in the other

room. It was

then she realised 

that she would 

want him until 

every star in

the galaxy died.

 

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